A 45-year-old Texas man has been taken into custody following a tragic incident in which his daughter allegedly gave birth in a Walmart restroom, resulting in the death of the newborn. The incident unfolded around 10:30 p.m. on a Monday when Walmart employees alerted the Kingsville Police Department after finding a newborn in a restroom trash can. Despite the staff’s efforts to revive the infant, the baby was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The police initiated an investigation, reviewing surveillance footage from the store. The footage showed a 17-year-old girl entering the restroom and spending approximately 40 minutes inside before leaving and heading to her vehicle in the parking lot. The newborn was discovered by the employees about half an hour after the teenager left the restroom.
Around 11 p.m., the police located the teenager’s vehicle and stopped her. She was immediately taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The girl’s father, identified as Jerry Lee Martinez, was arrested on charges of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence. Martinez is currently detained at the Kleberg County Jail without bond.
The teenager is still in the hospital, and the police plan to interview her once she is discharged. The circumstances surrounding the birth and the cause of the infant’s death have not been disclosed. The police have stated that more information will be released as the investigation progresses.
The Kingsville Police Department expressed their condolences to those affected by the tragic event and confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. Kingsville is located approximately 45 miles southwest of Corpus Christi.
It’s important to note that Texas has a Baby Moses Law, also known as the Safe Haven Law. This law allows parents to leave a baby less than 60 days old at a designated emergency infant care provider.