A Texas father has been arrested following the tragic discovery of a newborn baby found dead in a Walmart restroom trash can, allegedly born to his 17-year-old daughter. The harrowing incident unfolded late Monday night in Kingsville, Texas, when police were called to a local Walmart just before 10:30 p.m.
A maintenance worker, while emptying trash in the women’s restroom, discovered the lifeless infant inside a garbage bin and immediately alerted store management and emergency services, according to KRIS 6 News. Despite the efforts of Walmart employees to resuscitate the baby and rapid transportation to a nearby hospital by first responders, the newborn was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Authorities later reviewed security footage from inside the store, which showed a 17-year-old girl entering the restroom and remaining inside for approximately 40 minutes. She was then seen exiting the store and getting into a car parked outside. Roughly 30 minutes later, the baby was found by store staff.
Police quickly located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, bringing the teenage girl to the hospital for medical evaluation. Meanwhile, her father, 45-year-old Jerry Lee Martinez, was taken into custody at the scene and is facing a charge of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence, according to PEOPLE magazine.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that Martinez is currently being held without bond at Kleberg County Jail. Investigators are also examining the extent of his involvement, including whether he may have played a role in tampering with evidence.
“The avenue taken last night wasn’t the correct one, wasn’t a safe one for the mother or the child,” said Celinda Tatum, an accident investigator with the Kingsville Police Department, speaking to KRIS 6. “We do advise that anytime an incident does occur at any moment, contact police or emergency personnel so that the baby and the mother can get seen medically.”
The reason behind the teen mother’s decision to leave the newborn remains unclear. Authorities say the girl will be questioned as part of the ongoing investigation, but no further charges have been announced. The case has deeply shaken the local community, prompting renewed conversations around safe haven laws, teenage pregnancy, and access to emergency care.
Walmart has yet to release a formal statement about the incident, but continues to cooperate with investigators. As the investigation continues, police stress the importance of seeking help during a crisis and ensuring both mothers and newborns receive the medical care they urgently need.