The father of a 17-year-old girl has been arrested after her newborn baby was discovered dead in a Walmart restroom trash can in Kingsville, Texas.
Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, was taken into custody on Monday and charged with abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence. The incident occurred shortly before 10:30 p.m. at the local Walmart.
Store employees found the infant girl and immediately called emergency services. Despite attempts to perform CPR, the baby was pronounced dead at Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg.
Police reviewed surveillance footage showing the teenager entering the store and spending about 40 minutes in the restroom. The baby was discovered 30 minutes after she left. A Kleberg County Sheriff’s Deputy later located the teen in her car in the store’s parking lot, and she was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Martinez was arrested at the scene and is being held at the Kleberg County Jail. The teenager remained hospitalised on Tuesday, and police plan to interview her upon her release.
