Major Update in 'Tortured' 10-Year-Old Murder Case

Dr. Hubard noted that his findings were. consistent with child abuse, child. sexual abuse, and torture. >> The Arizona couple accused of torturing. their three young children, ultimately. killing a 10-year-old girl, according to. prosecutors, have entered their p. And. this comes after an hours long. preliminary hearing where the couple had. to sit and listen to these horrific. accusations made against them. We have. gathered some of the most important. moments from court as the state now. seeks justice for a very vulnerable. child. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by.

Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. You know, childhood's supposed to be. fun, right? You're learning about. yourself. You're exploring the world. You're hanging out with friends and. family. You're having a good time. But. according to Arizona prosecutors, 10-year-old Rebecca Baptist childhood, at least for the last few years, was a. nightmare. And that nightmare ended in. late July. This is when EMTs found her. unresponsive next to a car on the side. of a highway. And this was with her two. younger brothers looking on from inside.

the car. >> How long has it been since she's been. responsive? >> We don't know. She she ran away and they. found her in the the dirt. >> Now, to be clear, Rebecca was covered in. bruises and scrapes and she was. dehydrated. Now, she was rushed to. different trauma centers to try to save. her life, but she died a few days after. that body camera footage was recorded. We have to talk about her biological. father, Richard Baptiste, and his. longtime girlfriend, Ania Woods, the key. players in this case. Why? They told. first responders that they had recently. moved from Phoenix to an incredibly.

rural part of Apache County where. they've been living in a yurt. It's. basically a one room hut. And they. claimed that Rebecca had a history of. running away and that when she ran away. that day, a neighbor found her in a. drainage ditch and brought her the yurt. on an ATV. Now, apparently having no. cell service, not exactly sure where to. go, what do they end up doing? They. claim they took off in a car, called 911. on the way. Although I have to tell you, concern for this little girl seemed to. be lacking when you listen to this 911. call with dispatch.

>> Do you know how to CPR? >> Yes, I do, unfortunately. >> Are you wanting to CPR? Are you waiting. for EMS? >> I'm waiting for them cuz I'm trying to. get her breath. >> Now, Baptiste and Woods face very. serious charges. first-degree murder, child abuse, molestation of a child, and. prosecutors believe the couple not only. abused Rebecca, but also her younger. brothers, referred to as KB1 and KB2. This is in court paperwork and during. in-person hearings. Then you go to.

September 4th. That is when a. preliminary hearing was held. This is to. determine if there was enough evidence. for the case to move forward toward. trial. And prosecutors had filed what's. called a motion for joiner. It's. basically combining both Baptiste and. Woods cases together, right, to one. trial. That was the first thing the. judge addressed. >> I am aware uh the motion for joiner I. believe filed by the state 25th. Um I'm also aware Mr. Brewer has filed a.

response and objection that was joined. by Mr. Lee on behalf of their clients. I. am not prepared to order rule on that. today. I am prepared to go forward with. our uh both hearings being done at once. um. for that purpose. Um I will rule of. course on the motion for joiner um in. the appropriate time um to be able to do. that. I think the trial issues of course. are the most um pressing and important.

there which luckily um we don't have to. deal with right today but I would state. for all of the parties information that. if I make any uh rulings on admission of. evidence or witnesses. um ability to testify etc that ruling. will apply that admission would apply to. both cases for the purposes of today's. preliminary hearing only. Now, for the. sake of expediting this, prosecutors. called just one witness during this.

hearing, the lead case agent, Cole. Sodquist. He was on the stand for nearly. 3 hours. He was talking about everything. that was found in this yurt to the. children, right? And what they had to. say about what life was like. >> Has law enforcement spoken to the. neighbors throughout the ranch area? >> Yes, they have. >> And has it been determined that they. would be willing to testify at trial? Yes. >> You went to Did you go to Phoenix at. some point to work on this. investigation? >> Yes, I did.

>> And when you were in Phoenix, what. places did you go to? >> I went to the Phoenix Children's. Hospital. I went to the Empower College. Prep. I went to the apartment complex. that they lived at. Um, I attended the. autopsy. I attended the funeral. And that that's it for Phoenix. And when. you spoke to the different teachers and. administration at Empower Prep, um did. you speak to them about being uh. available to testify at trial? >> Yes. >> And did they indicate that they would?

>> Yes, they did. >> And how about the neighbors at the. apartment complex they had lived in just. prior to moving here? >> Yes. >> Were they willing to testify? >> Yes, they are. >> You talked about multiple medical. facilities. Um there's Phoenix. Children's as as as well as Little. Colorado. Is it your understanding that. if any subpoenas were served on any of. the medical professionals involved in. this case, they would testify at trial? >> Yes, they was. >> Now, you know, we've been on top of the. story from the very beginning, and we. are able to do that because of the. incredible support that we get from our. sponsor, Morgan and Morgan. This is.

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that this primitive building had no. electricity or running water. Can you. describe briefly for the court. the the the conditions the yurt was at. the time that you saw it? >> Yes. So at the time that we served the. search warrant when we entered the yurt. um it was covered in clothes and um. trash all over the floor along with. animal feces. >> And um in terms of the size, can you. give an approximate size?

Um maybe. 20 by 20. >> And there were other Were there other. buildings around? >> Yes, there was. >> Were those being used based on what you. could tell? >> Uh except for the bathroom. No. >> And so. as you looked around, do you recall the. bedding situation? >> Yes, I do. >> What was the bedding situation like? >> There was a queen mattress on the south. side. There was an air mattress on the. north side and then a swinging porch pad.

on the floor next to the queen-siz bed. >> And based on the investigation, the. statements or anything uh including the. statements from the children, did you. understand the bedding arrangement? >> Yes, I did. >> Can you describe that for the court? >> Yes. Richard and Ania stayed in the. queen bed on the south side. Uh KB1 and. KB2 stayed on the north side on the air. mattress and RB slept on the chair. cushion on the floor. >> Now, the prosecutor also had the lead. investigator talk about the condition.

that Rebecca was in when she was on the. side of the road. She's referred to, by. the way, as RB and also this 911 phone. call. >> So, I want to talk a little bit about um. how medical professionals got involved. Were there 911 calls? >> Yes, there was. And um based on that. information, have you reviewed or. summarized or seen the summary of the. the 911 calls? >> Yes, I have. >> And is there anything that stood out. specifically about the 911 calls. regarding um Defendant Woods when asked.

about if she understood CPR? >> Yes, there was subject. Um there's no. reasonable likelihood that Ms. Woods is. going to be able to testify. This is out. of out of court statement. It's hearsay. Um, and so I I don't believe it's. admissible, at least with my respect to. my client. >> All right, I'll uh overrule the objection and go. forward. >> So, when she was asked about providing. CPR, uh if she knew CPR, what was her. response? >> Yes, unfortunately.

>> Based on your understanding from the. investigation, did she have a medical. background? >> Yes. >> And what was her medical background? >> She was a CNA. >> Do you know what CNA stands for? I do. not. >> But it's a medical professional in some. capacity. >> Correct. >> Did she describe it in her her interview. sort of the how long she'd worked? >> I believe so. >> Um, so let's go back to Officer Williams. and the bodywn camera that you've. reviewed. Have you also reviewed her her.

supplemental report? >> Yes, I have. >> And so when she first gets on the scene, can you describe what she said? How how. RB what her condition was? So when she first arrived on scene, um. RB was laying flat on her back on the. side of the road. Um the officer. Williams described her as being yellow, unconscious, unresponsive, and she could. not find a pole, so she started CPR. >> And did she give any observations in her. supplement report about the condition. Arby was physically, her body?

>> Yes. >> Can you describe that? >> Um she was severely dehydrated and. malnourished. How about any physical. aspects in terms of specific things on. her body? >> She had bruises all over her body. Her. lips were really dry and she was yellow. in color. >> The state submitted 95 exhibits for this. hearing, something the defense attorneys. had objected to, saying that this was. excessive. The judge allowed it in. though, and while they weren't shown. publicly, people in the courtroom, they. were able to see images admitted into.

evidence of Rebecca's just absolutely. horrific injuries. According to Fox 10. Phoenix, Rebecca's maternal grandparents. were in the gallery. They had to hear. all of this. And the reporting was they. were devastated by what was being shown. and what was being said. >> Sergeant Rona had contacted me and told. me that she um had bruises from head to. toe. There was injuries to her vaginal. and her anus area. Um she had damaged, missing toenails and burn marks on her.

back that appeared to be consistent with. cigarette burns. What was the. information that was provided by Little. Colorado um to Apache County specific to. her dehydration? >> That she was so severely dehydrated that. she would not be able to walk on her own. power. >> And then in terms of her head, what was. what was the initial information. provided? >> She was missing large chunks of hair. from her head. And we also learned more. details about Rebecca's condition as she.

was rushed from the side of the road to. these different trauma centers. >> She was flown to Phoenix Children's. Hospital. Did something change from when. she was on the side of the road without. a pulse and unconscious to when she got. to Little Colorado? >> Yes. >> And what was that? >> That she was brain dead. >> And so she was brain dead. Did she have. a pulse? >> She did not. >> At some point did she get a pulse? >> When? Yes. Right when she got into the. ambulance, >> she got a pulse when she got in the.

ambulance on the side of the road. >> Yes. >> So, she goes to Little Colorado and she. goes to Phoenix Children. So, that's. still sort of July 27th into the 28th. >> Yes. >> And based on your investigation, um what. what happened at the end of this invest. in this part with her at Phoenix. Children's Hospital? >> RB had um passed away. Now, as I. mentioned, Baptist and Woods, they. aren't just accused of being abusive. towards Rebecca, but also the other. kids, right? Her younger brothers who. are now six and eight years old. Records.

indicate that when the family lived in. Phoenix, school officials had reported. concerning statements made by the three. children, which indicated they might be. living in an unsafe environment. In. fact, Empower College Prep claims that. of the dozen reports it made to the. Department of Child Safety, DCS said. only one rose to the level of an actual. investigation. And when the family moved. to that yurt in the middle of nowhere, keeping the children out of school, that's when DCS lost track of them. So,

the prosecutor had this deputy, Deputy. Sodquist, go over some of the chilling. statements that these children made. So. in terms of November of 2023, which child did um this report detail. >> KB1. >> And regarding KB1, what was the report? >> That he had came to school with scratch. marks on the side of his neck. >> And. the information he provided to this the. teacher.

>> is that his mom did it because he didn't. clean up. >> Did anything happen after he told his. teacher that? Yes, he the following day. he recanted a statement and said that it. was an accident. >> Was there any description of how big the. scratches were? >> They were approximately 2 in in length. >> So then I'm going to have you next look. at February 10th, 2024. And then and for. the record, for this time frame, this. was KB1. In November of 2023, he would. have been six.

>> Yes. >> So February 10th of 2024. Um, who was the report involving with. empower that day? Which child? >> KB1 as well. >> What was the what was the issue? >> That he had came to school again with. scratch marks on his neck. >> Did he give any indication why he had. scratch marks on his neck? >> He said that he got in trouble and that. his mom did it. And after he said he got.

in trouble and his mom did it, did he. say anything after that happened? >> No, he did not. >> Direct you to September 13th, 2024. Can. you tell us which child that report. involved? >> Also KB1. >> And um can you describe what uh KB1 what. the issue was? He also had scratch marks. on his neck and described that his mom. did it because he was being bad at home.

Now, >> after he described saying that his mom. did it because he was being bad at home, did he say anything additional. >> or change the story? >> He said that his head hurt and he needed. to go to the nurse's office. >> Did he come back the next day? >> Yes, he did. >> When he came back the next day, what did. he say had happened? Uh he stated um. never mind didn't do this to me. I just. fell and hit my head. >> Was there DCS followup regarding um this.

incident with KB1 involving talking to. RB? Like did they talk to RB after this. incident? >> I don't know. >> In a general perspective, I'm walking. through a couple dates and I've got two. more for you, but were there more dates. than we're discussing? Yes, I was. >> So, in looking at October 29th, 2024, can you tell me which which child that.

report in uh involved? >> That was Arby. >> at that time. Was she 9 years old? >> Yes, she was. >> And what was the complaint? >> That her ankles were red and that they. hurt. >> And when she complained, did she. describe why her ankles were red and. hurting? >> Yes. She said that her parents made her. run laps outside the apartment complex. >> Did she describe when her parents made. her run laps in the complex. >> consistently throughout the day? >> Did she share any information to the.

teacher about going home after school? >> That she Yes. She stated she did not. want to go home. >> She said she didn't want to go home. >> Correct. >> And based on your investigation with the. teachers, was that how often did she say. that? >> Pretty frequently. later on when they. ask him about his sister um and if she's. if he's aware of her being abused, what. does she say? What does he say about his. sister? >> That um when she runs in the desert,

whenever she gets punished, he was told. he's not allowed to talk about what. happens to her. >> Now, there's also a side here. So, Baptiste and Woods attorneys, they had a. chance to question Deputy Sodquist as. well. And Baptist lawyer Benjamin Brewer. went first and he grilled the deputy on. cause of death. Something that didn't. have a definitive answer yet. And this. is because the autopsy report hadn't. been submitted. >> What was the the doctor's determination. with regard to the cause of death, the.

cause of her situation where she was? >> We don't have the the uh autopsy report. yet. I don't I don't know. Um, was there. indication that there was blunt force. trauma to the to the head? >> Yes. >> Was there anything uh that you found in. your investigation that. determined or showed you that there was. um. abuse or contact from with a with an. object to her head? Was there ever any.

allegation of that? Did anybody admit to. anything like that? I don't know about. admitting, but there from the. photographs that I saw and the injuries. to the top of her head. Yes. >> And would you agree with me those. injuries were appeared to look as though. the the hair had been pulled from the. scalp. Is that right? >> Yes. >> And that would be consistent with what. you found in the waste basket of hair. that looked like Arby's um that was. connected to a brush. >> Yes. >> There were also statements that that. happened. There was, you know, I believe.

when you you in the investigation isn't. isn't inaccurate that um the Ms. Woods. indicated that she uh she may have used. a brush to pull the hair out of her head. trying to get knots out. >> Yes. >> Were there any indentations. or any kind of uh clear bra head. injuries apart from that? >> No. Did anyone from medical ever tell you. that uh the cause of death was because.

of the use of the belt on RB? >> Not that I recall. >> And is that primarily. physically speaking the only allegation. lodged at Mr. Baptiste was that he used. a belt? >> I believe so. Was there ever any. indication or something that would. suggest that he used a belt buckle as. opposed to the other side of the belt? >> I don't I don't recall.

>> In your experience in law enforcement, perhaps personal experience is is is. often times, maybe not as much now, but. a belt is used as a form of corporal. punishment sometimes. Is that right? >> Sometimes. >> Let's talk a little little bit more. about discipline. And you indicated that. there were I mean they indicated that. they they seem to have been disciplined. in in perhaps unique ways where they. would do uh running or um planks. Is. that kind of a a strength exercise? I mean, is that what that is?

>> I suppose. >> Um, and are you are is there a concern. about running because it's a form of. punishment or I mean, if it was in the. context of training the child to be a. football player or soccer player, would. that concern you as much or is it. because it's discipline that they're. making their child run that concerns. you? >> It was the discipline and the complaints. from the. >> But if he was out there wanting her to. be the best athlete and had her running, no issue with that. I I don't I don't know. >> And this is really disturbing because.

the deputy indicated that not only did. they document injuries to Rebecca's. genitals, but to the boys as well. Baptist attorney pushed back though on. whether those injuries could actually. qualify for a charge of molestation. >> Did any. of the children. uh and RB prior to her her death and KB1. and KB2 ever indicate or make an. allegation of a sexual nature.

reference Mr. Baptist? >> Not to my knowledge. >> And KB1 and KB2 did go through a at. least one forensic interview. Did is. that right? >> Yes. >> Did they go through a separate forensic. interview? >> Not yet. >> Uh is that going to happen? >> At some point. Um, during that forensic. interview, did they ever disclose that. they had been improperly and and. sexually touched in some way by Mr.

Baptist? >> I don't recall. >> You would agree with me that's fairly. important when you're charging when when. the charges are for my client. >> Objection speculation. >> I'll sustain the objection. >> So, you are the case officer? >> Yes. >> And one of the charges is molestation of. a child. You're aware of that? >> Yes. And that would be KBE2. >> You Yeah. >> And and and you're unaware of what.

statements he's made regarding any kind. of sexual. stuff that has happened. >> I would need to refer to the report for. exact details for you. >> The reports you're referring to have all. been admitted into evidence. Is that. right? >> Yes. >> And if the court needs to review those, the court can. >> Yes. And Brewer also pointed out that. while his client was accused of some. abuse, the majority of the allegations. the children made were against the woman. considered their stepmother, Ania Woods. >> Did any of the children ever indicate to.

you that Mr. Baptist combed RB's hair? >> No. With regard to the allegations made. pertaining to abuse. from the children uh during your. investigation, were more allegations made toward Mrs. Wood, Ms. Woods or Mr. Baptiste. >> as as far as. >> the number of accusations made as far as. who was doing the primary punishment or.

whatever you want to call it. >> They had stated it was came from both of. them. They just got it the worst from. Mrs. Woods. >> Okay. But I'm saying in all of the all. the documentation, the reports to the. schools, the reports to uh you know, whoever else were were wasn't. Ms. Woods more often times listed as the. aggressor in that as oppo than Mr. Baptist. >> Yeah. Now, this was interesting because. during his opportunity to question this.

witness, Woods lawyer made the point, how can you actually charge Woods and. Baptist when the final autopsy report. hadn't been released? >> You have any idea where these uh. injuries were committed? Any evidence of. where they were committed? Where she was. injured? Where? >> No. >> Okay. In Maricopa County, you told us a. lot about some previous DCS referrals. and and and whatnot. Uh these people. only been in Apache County 3 weeks, right? >> Yes.

>> And so a lot of the stuff that that you. told us about happened in Phoenix, the. running around the apartment house and. all that stuff, right? >> Which led into Apache County. Yes. >> Okay. Okay. And as far the lack of the. autopsy report, we just don't know why. she died, do we? >> I can't say for sure. >> Okay. So, you have no evidence of the. cause of her death. Correct. >> Objection. >> I'll sustain the objection.

>> What's what what's the basis of the. sustaining that objection? >> As of right now, you're asking him to. speculate where he's or asked and. answered given the fact that he says the. autopsy report is not here yet. That. would be the evidence. We are in a. >> Mr. Lee, you asked him if he has no. evidence. There's already been evidence. entered in today's hearing regarding the. cause of death. >> Not not a final cause. >> So what is the evidence of the cause of. death? What what's the conclusion of the.

cause of death? Somebody concluded that. yet? >> I would have to read the doctor's. reports for exact details. >> Didn't they just say it's consistent. with abuse and what that all they said? >> That's not all they said, but I'd have. to refer. >> Did they come to a conclusion the cause. of death? >> Yes. Well, could you indicate find the. report and indicate that to us, please? >> If I can review I would need to review. the report. Yes. >> Okay. Could you get the report? I mean, who who said that and what did they say?

>> As soon as I get the report, I'll be. able to tell you. >> You can't remember what they said the. cause of death was? >> Which doctor? >> Any doctor. >> I'm can Okay. They didn't give. >> any doctor say what the cause of death. was. I would have to review a report. >> You can't remember one right now. >> I can remember what the injuries being. consistent of which led to her death. >> Well, my point is if we don't know what. the cause of death is, how do we know. who did what caused her death?

How. >> I'll strike the question. Go ahead, Mr. Lee. Other than the two. parents that the complaint says that. they each participated in that. Do you. have evidence of participation in the. cause of death? Not the scratches and. the bruises and everything. You have any. evidence of who caused her death?

Aside from them admitting to hitting. her, it being excessive force. >> Are you claiming as part of the the. complaint where you child abuse, does. that include a messy house? Is that part. of the child abuse? >> Yes, it is. >> And what was what was there that. presented danger to the children again? >> The animal feces all over the floor. >> Okay. >> And the no water and the no power. Now, at the end of the hearing, the judge. determined the cases could be bound over.

for trial. And on September 8th, the. pair were arraigned and entered not. guilty, please. And we will, of course, continue this awful case and the pursuit. of justice for Rebecca. And that is all. we have for you right now here on. Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so much. for joining us. As always, please. subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. You can follow me on X or Instagram. I'm. Jesse Weber. I'll see you next time. [Music].