10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste's life honored during funeral services
Rebekah Baptiste funeral services to be held on Aug. 18
The funeral for 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 18, with a public rosary and funeral Mass at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Parish in Surprise, followed by a graveside service in Avondale.
The funeral for 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste was held on Monday, Aug. 18, and the public was encouraged to attend.
Timeline:
The rosary was held at 10 a.m. at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Parish, 17111 W. Bell Road in Surprise, with the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Afterward, a graveside service was held at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, 9925 W. Thomas Road in Avondale.
"All are welcome to honor Rebekah's memory," her GoFundMe read.
Rebekah Baptiste
The backstory:
Rebekah died on July 30 after Apache County Sheriff's investigators say she endured abuse by her father, Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods. They are in jail and are accused of murder.
Prosecutors said the "long-term, horrendous abuse" that caused Rebekah's death led to such severe brain bleeding that she was left brain-dead.
Richard Baptiste, and his girlfriend, Anicia Woods
Court records show this was not the first time Rebekah had received care for similar injuries. Prosecutors have revealed that 140 pages of hospital records have been turned over in the case.
The Phoenix school where Rebekah was a student claims it made 12 reports to the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) over the past four years, a number that DCS officials are disputing.
On Aug. 14, Rebekah's school, Empower College Prep, held a ceremony to honor the young girl's life, packing the gymnasium. Her former teachers, former foster mother and her three siblings were at the memorial.
The school has planted a tree in her honor to symbolize the life she had ahead of her.