Police are investigating the death of a newborn baby discovered in a Walmart restroom trash can in a scary case that has consumed a community in Texas. The teenage mum is in the hospital, and her father was recently arrested for multiple felony charges. A quick but tragic series of events kicked off when an unsettling discovery was made late Monday night, July 14, at a Walmart on East General Cavazos Boulevard.
According to the Kingsville Police Department, an employee reported a baby inside a trash bag to 911 at about 10:22 p.m.. The terrible discovery was made by a maintenance employee who had been picking up trash from the bathroom facilities when he spotted something odd and alerted the rest of the staff.
Until rescue workers arrived, store employees tried CPR.
Shortly after being rushed to Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg, which is right next door, the newborn baby girl was declared dead. Investigators looked at surveillance footage that showed a teenage girl had gone into the store earlier that night, spent about forty minutes in the restroom, and then left in a car.
Kleberg County Sheriff’s Office officers identified the car and stopped it in the Walmart parking lot. The 17-year-old girl and her 45-year-old father, Jerry Lee Martinez of Mathis, Texas, were inside.
Martinez was detained and charged with criminal negligence for abandoning or endangering a child, tampering with a witness, and physical evidence, considering the teen was taken to the medical facility right away for emergency treatment.
Walmart Surveillance and a Law That Could Have Changed Everything
Kingsville Police Detective Celinda Tatum told local station KRIS6 that the mother came back to the scene after dark, and authorities contacted her right before she was hospitalized. Tatum confirmed, “She’s getting medically assessed at the hospital. Whenever she gets released, then we would speak to her regarding the incident.”
According to a press release from Kingsville Police Chief John Blair, video footage and on-scene reports were extremely important in quickly locating the culprits. The probe is still ongoing, and more charges may be brought based on what comes out of police interviews and medical tests, even though the teenager’s identity has not yet been made public due to her age.
WHY WAS THE DAD ARRESTED?
“Father arrested after teen daughter gives birth in Walmart bathroom, employees find baby dumped in trash can, cops say”A 45-year-old Texas father has landed himself behind bars after his daughter allegedly gave birth to a baby in the bathroom of a… pic.twitter.com/H8zOMcURrB
— Jim Weed (@JimBobW49) July 16, 2025
Officials say it is heartbreaking that everything that happened could have been averted. The Baby Moses Law, also known as the Safe Haven Law in Texas, lets parents hand over newborns at defined locations, such as hospitals or fire stations, without being asked questions. The purpose of the law is to prevent incidents like these.
“The avenue taken last night wasn’t the correct one,” said Detective Tatum, and added that it “wasn’t a safe one for the mother or the child.”
What Comes Next, and What Can the Public Do?
The Kingsville Police request that anyone with further details about the case call the Criminal Investigations Division at (361) 593-8849.
Kingsville Crime Stoppers is also open to anonymous tips at (361) 592-INFO (4636).
Teen’s newborn found in Walmart bathroom dies, TX cops say. Her dad is arrested https://t.co/JSo6yjypbP
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) July 16, 2025
While the teenage mom continues to stay in the hospital, focus is turning to whether safe surrender laws need to be made more widely accessible and whether this awful incident might result in a shift in the way young parents seek help.
