Latest news with #KPHO
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Stepmother's chilling 911 calls released 'after she tortured girl, 10, to death'
Anicia Woods and Richard Baptiste have been accused of carrying out a prolonged campaign of cruel sexual and physical abuse that ultimately lead to the death of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste in Holbrook, Arizona A stepmother accused of torturing a 10-year-old girl to death made a series of bizarre 911 calls before the youngster passed away. Little Rebekah Baptiste was just 10 years old when she was found unresponsive at her home in Holbrook, Arizona on July 27. Prosecutors say she was the victim of a prolonged campaign of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the two people meant to care for her most. When paramedics arrived, the signs of abuse were clear with her malnourished and battered body covered in bruises. She was rushed to hospital but died three days later without a single family member by her bedside. It comes after reports of a dad's desperate phone call moments before explosion kills him and his daughters. Cops arrested her father Richard Baptiste and his partner Anicia Woods and charged them with first-degree murder, kidnapping and three counts of child abuse. On the day of the little girl's death, records show Woods had called 911 to say she was taking her daughter to a hospital because she'd stopped breathing. The stepmother blamed Rebekah's breathing problems on her having run away in the desert. In the calls, which seemed to lack an appropriate sense of urgency, Woods made the strange comment that she was "breathing for Rebekah". She was asked if she knew CPR, to which she replied: "Yes I do, unfortunately." When asked what was wrong with the youngster, Woods said: "She's been running away, but when she ran away today and the neighbour found her. She's just been completely unresponsive, I'm sitting here giving her breath." "We're going towards Holbrook. We're told there's an EMS station in Holbrook," she said before the call cut out. The family lived in Hunt, a rural part of Arizona around 40 miles from where the first 911 call was made. When she called back 17 minutes later, the call handler asked if the little girl was still breathing. "I'm breathing for her," the stepmother said. The bizarre statement prompted the 911 operator to ask: "What do you mean?" "I am putting my mouth around hers and breathing in her mouth, yes," Woods said, according to an audio file of the conversation published by KPHO. She was told to pull over so paramedics could reach them, but the call disconnected. Prosecutors said in a court hearing on Monday that the little girl had suffered severe injuries and was malnourished, had bruises all over her body and was missing toenails. One doctor described what had happened to her as 'torture', prosecutors said. AZ Family reports prosecutors said Rebekah's condition showed signs of "child physical abuse, sexual abuse and torture'. Two of the child abuse charges were in connection to alleged abuse of Rebekah's younger brothers. The two boys are now in the custody of the state. Baptiste and Woods are being held on a $1million bond. Since the girl's death, a row has erupted after Rebkah's uncle and an official at the school she attended both said the state could have done more to protect her. School staff said the children begged not to go home. 'They didn't do enough to protect her,' said Rebekah's uncle Damon Hawkins according to AZ Central. 'They absolutely failed.' According to WCSC, he said: 'She was black and blue from her head to toe. She had two black eyes, and they're thinking the cause of death was because of a haemorrhage.' Rebekah's school said it called Arizona's Department of Child Safety (DCS) 12 times between November 2023 and January this year. But this was disputed by the DCS and a spokesperson told ABC15 that Empower College Prep called their hotline five times over the past year. The spokesperson also said only one of the allegations raised met their statutory criteria. On the four other occasions, the DCS was "not able to investigate the allegations because they did not meet the statutory threshold for abuse or neglect', according to spokesperson Darren DaRonco. "We take every call to our hotline seriously, but we only have the authority to initiate an investigation if the call meets statutory report criteria," Mr DaRonco said. "Rebekah deserved love, safety and a chance to thrive. There are no words that will make sense of the pain she endured or her life that was tragically cut short."
Sky News AU
14-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Arizona homeowner fined $150 repeatedly for giving out free water in heat amid clash with home owners association
An Arizona homeowner has been repeatedly fined $100 ($150 AUD) for handing out free cold water bottles to neighbors over the past year, forcing him to take drastic measures against his homeowners association. David Martin's five years of kindly providing refreshing waters in his Goodyear, Ariz., driveway have caused tension between him and the HOA in the Canyon Trails community. Martin's gesture dates back to 2020, when he'd share the cold water with anyone walking by his home, creating a feeling of togetherness and unity during the blistering hot summer months. 'It's for the kids, the delivery drivers, the couple holding hands walking down the street,' Martin told KPHO on July 9. 'It's for the little kid who has to walk his dog in the heat.' Martin came up with the idea alongside his wife when he was trapped at his home during the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to create a feeling of togetherness and unity during the trying summer months. 'I figured, what better way to be an asset to the community than cold water,' Martin told the outlet in August 2024. Last year, a rift began to form when the HOA and its management company, FS Residential, fined Martin $50 for storing the items in plain sight. Martin refused to pay the bill and was fined $100 for non-compliance three months in a row. 'Here we are in July, the hottest day of the year, and we are still talking about a water cooler with free cold water,' said Martin. 'It's ridiculous that they are adding violations to a total that's not going to get paid because I'm giving out free water.' The HOA said it has no problems with Martin handing out water, but stated he cannot advertise such projects on his lawn. 'The Association does not object to a resident providing water bottles within the community; however, the community's rules do not allow a resident to advertise water bottle distribution from a portable ice chest, located next to their garage that is visible from neighboring property,' the board said in a statement to the outlet. The clever homeowner found a workaround to avoid the pesky board's fines – a democratic coup. Martin began circulating a petition around his neighborhood to get 100 signatures and boot three board members from their seats. 'I am hoping with three new board members that get elected, they'll see that wasting time and money on a water cooler that's helping the community is just that, a waste,' said Martin. 'I stand firm on the fact that I'm not paying the fines. The cooler is not going anywhere, and I'll fight it,' he told 12News. A special meeting was held on July 10, attended by two board members not targeted by the petition, Martin and roughly 24 people. Out of 210 ballots, 190 voted for the removal of the three members, with the board recognizing the notability of the supermajority vote. The targeted members were due to be removed from their roles the next day, but they questioned the legality of the quorum, claiming Martin didn't gather enough signatures for their ousters, according to 12News. The board held an emergency meeting to invalidate the vote, claiming there wasn't a 24-hour notice for the meeting. Board members also questioned if the 210 votes was enough to establish a quorum in a community with over a thousand homes. Martin shared a notice from FirstService Residential and its attorneys validating the voting process under state law, according to the outlet. The determined homeowner is preparing for a legal fight he plans on winning. 'It's not just about water, it's about the community as a whole,' he said. Originally published as Arizona homeowner fined $150 repeatedly for giving out free water in heat amid clash with home owners association
New York Post
12-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Arizona homeowner David Martin fined $100 repeatedly for giving out free water in heat amid clash with HOA
Bottled up anger. An Arizona homeowner has been repeatedly fined $100 for handing out free cold water bottles to neighbors over the past year, forcing him to take drastic measures against his homeowners association. David Martin's five years of kindly providing refreshing waters in his Goodyear, Ariz., driveway have caused tension between him and the HOA in the Canyon Trails community. Advertisement 8 David Martin carries water bottles from his yard to a cooler set up in his driveway in Goodyear, Arizona. 12 News/YouTube Martin's gesture dates back to 2020, when he'd share the cold water with anyone walking by his home, creating a feeling of togetherness and unity during the blistering hot summer months. 'It's for the kids, the delivery drivers, the couple holding hands walking down the street,' Martin told KPHO on July 9. 'It's for the little kid who has to walk his dog in the heat.' Advertisement Martin came up with the idea alongside his wife when he was trapped at his home during the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to create a feeling of togetherness and unity during the trying summer months. 'I figured, what better way to be an asset to the community than cold water,' Martin told the outlet in August 2024. Last year, a rift began to form when the HOA and its management company, FS Residential, fined Martin $50 for storing the items in plain sight. 8 Martin's cooler set-up in his driveway for neighbors to take water from. 12 News/YouTube Advertisement 8 Cold water bottles are stored inside the cooler for people in need of a drink. 12 News/YouTube Martin refused to pay the bill and was fined $100 for non-compliance three months in a row. 'Here we are in July, the hottest day of the year, and we are still talking about a water cooler with free cold water,' said Martin. 'It's ridiculous that they are adding violations to a total that's not going to get paid because I'm giving out free water.' The HOA said it has no problems with Martin handing out water, but stated he cannot advertise such projects on his lawn. Advertisement 'The Association does not object to a resident providing water bottles within the community; however, the community's rules do not allow a resident to advertise water bottle distribution from a portable ice chest, located next to their garage that is visible from neighboring property,' the board said in a statement to the outlet. The clever homeowner found a workaround to avoid the pesky board's fines – a democratic coup. 8 Martin refused to pay the bill and was fined $100 for non-compliance three months in a row. 12 News/YouTube 8 Martin speaks at the special homeowners meeting on July 10, 2025. 12 News/YouTube Martin began circulating a petition around his neighborhood to get 100 signatures and boot three board members from their seats. 'I am hoping with three new board members that get elected, they'll see that wasting time and money on a water cooler that's helping the community is just that, a waste,' said Martin. 'I stand firm on the fact that I'm not paying the fines. The cooler is not going anywhere, and I'll fight it,' he told 12News. A special meeting was held on July 10, attended by two board members not targeted by the petition, Martin and roughly 24 people. Advertisement 8 A neighbor grabs a bottle of water from Martin's cooler. 12 News/YouTube 8 Volunteers count the ballots during the meeting on July 10, 2025. 12 News/YouTube 8 The two HOA board members who weren't targets of Martin's petition. 12 News/YouTube Out of 210 ballots, 190 voted for the removal of the three members, with the board recognizing the notability of the supermajority vote. Advertisement The targeted members were due to be removed from their roles the next day, but they questioned the legality of the quorum, claiming Martin didn't gather enough signatures for their ousters, according to 12News. The board held an emergency meeting to invalidate the vote, claiming there wasn't a 24-hour notice for the meeting. Board members also questioned if the 210 votes was enough to establish a quorum in a community with over a thousand homes. Advertisement Martin shared a notice from FirstService Residential and its attorneys validating the voting process under state law, according to the outlet. The determined homeowner is preparing for a legal fight he plans on winning. 'It's not just about water, it's about the community as a whole,' he said.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- The Independent
2-year-old boy guided to safety by rancher's dog after wandering 7 miles alone in Arizona wilderness
A ranch dog in Arizona is being hailed as a hero after it led a lost toddler out of the desert wilderness and back to safety. Officials in Kingman reported that a two-year-old child slipped away from his home on Monday night and wandered into the rugged wilds of the Arizona countryside. The child's disappearance kicked off a 16-hour search that ended on Tuesday morning after the boy was found by an unlikely rescuer. Scotty Dunton, of Dunton Ranch, said he had heard about the missing child, identified as Boden Allen, in the local news, and was shocked when he saw a toddler matching the missing child's description wandering onto his property alongside his dog, Buford. "I'd heard about the missing child before I was going to town, and when I was driving out the driveway I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance," the rancher told KPHO. "I look up, and there's a little kid standing there with my dog." The boy wandered seven miles from his home in Seligman, crossed rough canyon lands, and endured a cold night in the desert before proceeding to Dunton's Ranch. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office even noted that a pair of mountain lions had been spotted on their thermal imaging cameras while deputies were searching for the boy. Dunton said his ranch and Boden's home are separated by "three big mountain ranges" and "big valleys," and believes it's likely the boy followed a dirt path under nearby power lines to make it to his ranch. Even following the path, Dunton said he still "can't believe the kid made it that far," according to CBS News. After bringing Boden in, Dunton asked the boy if he had walked all night. The boy reportedly said he slept under a tree during the night. The rancher then asked if his dog, an Anatolian Pyrenees named Buford, found him. The boy reportedly said yes. Dunton said Buford is a "guardian" by his nature and spends his evening patrolling the ranch. 'He goes out at night and just kind of patrols. He goes half a mile, a mile from the house and just makes big loops, keeps coyotes out," the rancher told 12 News. He told KPHO that he wasn't surprised Buford took a special interest in Boden. "It's what he does. He loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn't leave him when he found him," Dunton said. "It was a relief that he was alive. I was ecstatic that he was OK and that my dog found him." Dunton provided Boden with water and shelter and notified law enforcement that the boy had been found. The toddler was eventually reunited with the family, but not before Dunton offered him some kudos for making it through his harrowing journey. 'I told him, 'Buddy, you're the toughest little two-year-old I've ever seen.' He's like, 'Yep,'" Dunton told 12 News. The rancher told the broadcaster he planned to reward Buford for a job well done. "Oh, he's getting steak dinner tonight, my wife already said," Dunton said. "He did a great job."
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
2-year-old boy guided to safety by rancher's dog after wandering 7 miles alone in Arizona wilderness
A ranch dog in Arizona is being hailed as a hero after it led a lost toddler out of the desert wilderness and back to safety. Officials in Kingman reported that a two-year-old child slipped away from his home on Monday night and wandered into the rugged wilds of the Arizona countryside. The child's disappearance kicked off a 16-hour search that ended on Tuesday morning after the boy was found by an unlikely rescuer. Scotty Dunton, of Dunton Ranch, said he had heard about the missing child, identified as Boden Allen, in the local news, and was shocked when he saw a toddler matching the missing child's description wandering onto his property alongside his dog, Buford. "I'd heard about the missing child before I was going to town, and when I was driving out the driveway I noticed my dog was sitting down by the entrance," the rancher told KPHO. "I look up, and there's a little kid standing there with my dog." The boy wandered seven miles from his home in Seligman, crossed rough canyon lands, and endured a cold night in the desert before proceeding to Dunton's Ranch. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office even noted that a pair of mountain lions had been spotted on their thermal imaging cameras while deputies were searching for the boy. Dunton said his ranch and Boden's home are separated by "three big mountain ranges" and "big valleys," and believes it's likely the boy followed a dirt path under nearby power lines to make it to his ranch. Even following the path, Dunton said he still "can't believe the kid made it that far," according to CBS News. After bringing Boden in, Dunton asked the boy if he had walked all night. The boy reportedly said he slept under a tree during the night. The rancher then asked if his dog, an Anatolian Pyrenees named Buford, found him. The boy reportedly said yes. Dunton said Buford is a "guardian" by his nature and spends his evening patrolling the ranch. 'He goes out at night and just kind of patrols. He goes half a mile, a mile from the house and just makes big loops, keeps coyotes out," the rancher told 12 News. He told KPHO that he wasn't surprised Buford took a special interest in Boden. "It's what he does. He loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn't leave him when he found him," Dunton said. "It was a relief that he was alive. I was ecstatic that he was OK and that my dog found him." Dunton provided Boden with water and shelter and notified law enforcement that the boy had been found. The toddler was eventually reunited with the family, but not before Dunton offered him some kudos for making it through his harrowing journey. 'I told him, 'Buddy, you're the toughest little two-year-old I've ever seen.' He's like, 'Yep,'" Dunton told 12 News. The rancher told the broadcaster he planned to reward Buford for a job well done. "Oh, he's getting steak dinner tonight, my wife already said," Dunton said. "He did a great job."
