A 45-year-old man from Texas, Jerry Lee Martinez, is currently facing charges related to the sexual assault of a minor, as indicated by jail records. Martinez, who has a history of charges including child endangerment and tampering with a witness and evidence, is now being accused of sexually assaulting his 17-year-old daughter, which led to her pregnancy.
An arrest affidavit, obtained by local media, reveals that the teenager informed investigators that her father started sexually abusing her when she was 15 years old. The affidavit alleges that the abuse continued for two years, resulting in her pregnancy.
Upon learning about his daughter’s pregnancy, Martinez reportedly physically assaulted her, punching her repeatedly in the stomach. The affidavit also states that he took her to Mexico the previous week in an attempt to terminate the pregnancy.
Later that night, the teenager reportedly gave birth to a stillborn baby in a restroom at a Walmart in Kingsville, Texas. The infant was subsequently discarded in the trash. The deceased newborn was discovered by Walmart employees, who then alerted the police.
Law enforcement officers later located Martinez and his daughter and stopped their vehicle. Martinez was arrested, while the teenager was transported to a secure location for her safety.
In a related development, Martinez’s stepfather, 60-year-old Mario Duran, is also facing charges of sexual assault.
The incident came to light when Walmart employees found the newborn in a restroom trash can and attempted to resuscitate the infant. The baby was later transported to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced the infant dead.
Surveillance footage from the store showed the teenager entering the restroom and leaving approximately 40 minutes later. The newborn was discovered by employees about half an hour after the teenager had left the store.
Martinez is currently being held in the Kleberg County Jail on a $600,000 bond. His residence is in Mathis, Texas, approximately 50 miles north of Kingsville.