Topline: Police say the baby was found after a teenager spent 40 minutes in a store restroom and left without alerting anyone.
Published: July 16, 2025 7:30 am ET
Must Read
Jerry Lee Martinez (via Kleberg County Jail)
KINGSVILLE, TX — A newborn baby was found dead in a Walmart restroom trash can Monday night, sparking a criminal investigation and the arrest of a South Texas man.
According to a news release from the Kingsville Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Walmart on East General Cavazos Boulevard at 10:22 p.m., after an employee called 911 to report the infant.
Store staff were attempting lifesaving measures when first responders arrived. The baby was transported to Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg, where doctors pronounced the infant dead shortly after arrival.
Police began their investigation by reviewing security footage from inside the store. Surveillance video showed a young woman entering the Walmart and spending approximately 40 minutes inside a restroom. She left the building, and about half an hour later, an employee discovered the newborn in a trash receptacle, KRIS-TV reported.
At 10:53 p.m., just over 30 minutes after the emergency call was placed, a Kleberg County Sheriff’s deputy located the woman’s vehicle still parked outside the store. The woman, identified by police as a 17-year-old, was taken to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment. She has not yet been interviewed, as authorities await her release from the hospital.
The woman’s father, Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, was arrested at the Walmart and booked into Kleberg County Jail. He faces a charge of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence.
His role in the incident and whether he knew of the infant’s presence are both part of the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information to contact the Kingsville Police Department directly at 361-593-8849 or to submit anonymous tips to Kingsville Crime Stoppers at 361-592-INFO (4636).
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Arrested After Newborn Found Dead in Walmart Trash Can
Police say the baby was found after a teenager spent 40 minutes in a store restroom and left without alerting anyone.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 16, 2025 7:30 am ET
Jerry Lee Martinez (via Kleberg County Jail)
KINGSVILLE, TX — A newborn baby was found dead in a Walmart restroom trash can Monday night, sparking a criminal investigation and the arrest of a South Texas man.
According to a news release from the Kingsville Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Walmart on East General Cavazos Boulevard at 10:22 p.m., after an employee called 911 to report the infant.
Store staff were attempting lifesaving measures when first responders arrived. The baby was transported to Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg, where doctors pronounced the infant dead shortly after arrival.
Police began their investigation by reviewing security footage from inside the store. Surveillance video showed a young woman entering the Walmart and spending approximately 40 minutes inside a restroom. She left the building, and about half an hour later, an employee discovered the newborn in a trash receptacle, KRIS-TV reported.
At 10:53 p.m., just over 30 minutes after the emergency call was placed, a Kleberg County Sheriff’s deputy located the woman’s vehicle still parked outside the store. The woman, identified by police as a 17-year-old, was taken to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment. She has not yet been interviewed, as authorities await her release from the hospital.
The woman’s father, Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, was arrested at the Walmart and booked into Kleberg County Jail. He faces a charge of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence.
His role in the incident and whether he knew of the infant’s presence are both part of the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information to contact the Kingsville Police Department directly at 361-593-8849 or to submit anonymous tips to Kingsville Crime Stoppers at 361-592-INFO (4636).
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Arrested After Newborn Found Dead in Walmart Trash Can
Police say the baby was found after a teenager spent 40 minutes in a store restroom and left without alerting anyone.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 16, 2025 7:30 am ET
Jerry Lee Martinez (via Kleberg County Jail)
KINGSVILLE, TX — A newborn baby was found dead in a Walmart restroom trash can Monday night, sparking a criminal investigation and the arrest of a South Texas man.
According to a news release from the Kingsville Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Walmart on East General Cavazos Boulevard at 10:22 p.m., after an employee called 911 to report the infant.
Store staff were attempting lifesaving measures when first responders arrived. The baby was transported to Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg, where doctors pronounced the infant dead shortly after arrival.
Police began their investigation by reviewing security footage from inside the store. Surveillance video showed a young woman entering the Walmart and spending approximately 40 minutes inside a restroom. She left the building, and about half an hour later, an employee discovered the newborn in a trash receptacle, KRIS-TV reported.
At 10:53 p.m., just over 30 minutes after the emergency call was placed, a Kleberg County Sheriff’s deputy located the woman’s vehicle still parked outside the store. The woman, identified by police as a 17-year-old, was taken to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment. She has not yet been interviewed, as authorities await her release from the hospital.
The woman’s father, Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, was arrested at the Walmart and booked into Kleberg County Jail. He faces a charge of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence.
His role in the incident and whether he knew of the infant’s presence are both part of the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information to contact the Kingsville Police Department directly at 361-593-8849 or to submit anonymous tips to Kingsville Crime Stoppers at 361-592-INFO (4636).
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
