State Lawmakers Escalate Probe Into Child Safety System Failures After Deaths of Three Arizona Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                               

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

State Lawmakers Escalate Probe Into Child Safety System Failures

After Deaths of Three Arizona Children

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Arizona lawmakers are taking the next step in an urgent investigation into failures within the state's child protection system after the recent deaths of three Arizona children. Senator Carine Werner announced today the first stakeholder meeting of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the Department of Child Safety will be held Wednesday, September 3.

Earlier this year, the remains of 14-year-old Emily Pike were discovered after she ran away from her state-licensed group home. Zariah Dodd, a pregnant 16-year-old, was shot and killed in a park after leaving her state-licensed group home. Meanwhile, 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste was found dead after DCS received multiple reports of abuse over time; her father has since been arrested on murder and child abuse charges. All three cases involve prior contact with DCS, raising concerns about gaps in safeguarding vulnerable youth.

"The deaths of Emily Pike, Zariah Dodd, and Rebekah Baptiste should be a wake-up call for us all," said Senator Werner. "These tragedies make it painfully clear that when our child protection systems – both state and tribal– fail, the consequences can be horrific. We cannot allow these failures to repeat. Every agency, every leader, and every community involved in a child's care must be fully accountable for keeping them safe. We must explore opportunities for system improvement. That is the work ahead of us, and we will not stop until no child in Arizona falls through the cracks."

The committee's ongoing stakeholder meetings will bring together leaders from the Arizona Department of Child Safety, Tribal Nations, law enforcement, legislative members, and child welfare experts to review state protocols for licensed group homes and child welfare oversight. The mission is to identify immediate safety improvements and develop long-term reforms to prevent future tragedies.

This first stakeholder meeting marks part two of a multi-phase process to identify legislative and regulatory remedies, informed by testimony from affected families, tribal representatives, child welfare advocates, and experts.

This meeting will be closed to the public and media. Senator Werner will be available in the days following the meeting for one-on-one interviews with reporters to provide a brief recap and outline next steps. Reporters wishing to schedule an interview should email the Senate Republicans communications team.

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For more information, contact:

Kim Quintero

Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus

kquintero@azleg.gov