Employees found the baby inside the bathroom Monday night and tried to do CPR.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An arrest has been made after a newborn baby found in the Kingsville Walmart bathroom died Monday night.
Jerry Martinez has been arrested and charged with child abandonment/endangering a child-criminal negligence.
The 45-year-old is being held in the Kleberg County Jail, said Kingsville Police Department Chief John Blair.
KPD Det. Celina Tatum said Walmart employees found the baby in a trash bag inside a bathroom at the store and tried to perform CPR.
The baby later was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
A female suspect was taken to an area hospital for examination.
Officers said she will be interviewed later Tuesday.
Kingsville PD Chief John Blair issued a news release Tuesday afternoon with a timeline of the investigation so far.
The release states that employees called police at about 110:22 p.m. Monday after finding the baby, and when officers arrived, they found employees performing “lifesaving efforts.”
The newborn was taken to nearby CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital-Kleberg, where it was pronounced dead.
He said during their investigation, store surveillance was reviewed and a female teenager was seen walking into the store. She spent about 40 minutes in the restroom before leaving in a vehicle.
The baby was found about 30 minutes after she left.
Police are asking for anyone with information about the case to call them at (361) 593-8849 or at their Crime Stoppers number, which is (361) 592-4636.
Digital Content Producer Sumiko A. Lara contributed to this breaking story. 3NEWS will provide updates as they become available.
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