Texas Man Arrested After Newborn’s Body Found in Walmart Bathroom

KINGSVILLE, TX — A newborn was found dead in a Walmart restroom trash can Monday night, prompting the arrest of the baby’s grandfather on multiple charges, Kingsville police said.

Officers responded to the store on East General Cavazos Boulevard at 10:22 p.m. after an employee called 911 to report the discovery. The baby was found inside a trash bag in the bathroom, according to Kingsville Police Department spokesperson Investigator Celina Tatum.

Walmart employees were attempting life-saving measures when officers arrived, police said. The child was taken to Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg, where doctors pronounced the baby dead.

Video surveillance showed a 17-year-old female entering the restroom and remaining inside for about 40 minutes before leaving, according to police. The baby was discovered roughly 30 minutes later. The teen, who has not been identified, returned to the scene and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Authorities have not said whether she will face charges.

Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, of Mathis, Texas, was arrested the following evening on charges of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence, tampering with physical evidence, and tampering with a witness. He remained in custody Thursday at the Kleberg County Jail on a $300,000 bond, according to jail records.

As of Thursday, no court hearing had been scheduled, and an attorney had not been listed in the case file, the Kleberg County District Court clerk confirmed.

The cause of the newborn’s death has not been released. Kingsville is located in Kleberg County, about 40 miles southwest of Corpus Christi.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Kingsville police at 361-592-4336.