A tragic incident occurred on July 14, 2025, at a Walmart in Kingsville, Texas, where a newborn baby girl was found deceased in a restroom trash can. The baby was discovered by a maintenance worker, and despite employees’ efforts to administer CPR, she was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital .

Surveillance footage revealed that a 17-year-old girl entered the store around 9:10 p.m. and remained in the restroom for approximately 40 minutes before leaving. The baby was found about 30 minutes after she left. Authorities later located the teen in the Walmart parking lot and transported her to the hospital for medical evaluation .

The teen’s father, 45-year-old Jerry Lee Martinez, was arrested at the scene and charged with abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence, as well as tampering with a witness and physical evidence. He appeared in court for a bond hearing, where his bond was set at $300,000, and he was ordered to have no contact with his daughter or family members .

In a related development, authorities arrested Mario Duran, Martinez’s 60-year-old stepfather, on charges of sexual assault in connection with the case .

The 17-year-old girl remains hospitalized, and police plan to interview her once she is medically cleared. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward .

This case underscores the importance of Texas’ Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to legally surrender unharmed infants under 60 days old at designated locations such as hospitals or fire stations, without facing legal consequences.