.jpg%3Ftrim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
Father of 17-year-old girl arrested after her newborn is found dead inside Walmart trash can
Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, was arrested and charged with abandoning/endangering a child with criminal negligence after his daughter allegedly left a newborn in the restroom at the Walmart in in Kingsville, Texas, shortly before 10:30 p.m.
Employees found the newborn girl and called 911. They tried to give her CPR before emergency crews arrived, but the infant was pronounced dead at Christus Spohn Hospital–Kleberg.
Surveillance footage, reviewed by police, showed the teenager entering the store and staying in the restroom for about 40 minutes. The baby was found 30 minutes after she left.
A Kleberg County Sheriff's Deputy found the teen in her car in the store's parking lot later that night, and she was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Martinez was arrested at the scene and is being held at the Kleberg County Jail.
The teenager remained hospitalized Tuesday, KRIS 6 News reported. Police plan to interview her upon her release.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Why the Epstein case looms large in MAGA world
When Jack Posobiec walked into the Department of Justice in Washington, DC last February, he thought he would finally get some answers about Jeffrey when he and other MAGA supporters were given essentially just rehashed, already-public material - and when the government put a damper on the release of any new information this July - they balked."We were all told more was coming. That answers were out there and would be provided. Incredible how utterly mismanaged this Epstein mess has been. And it didn't have to be," Posobiec posted on social media on 7 Donald Trump is finding it hard to shake loose the conspiracy theories that have animated his base since he first broke through into Republican politics a decade ago. Posobiec, who emerged from the fringes of the internet in 2016 when he spread false rumours about a child abuse ring based in a Washington DC restaurant - a conspiracy theory that became known as Pizzagate - is just one of many MAGA die-hards who believes officials are hiding key truths about Epstein's life and disgraced financier and convicted sex offender died by suicide in a New York prison cell in 2019 while he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking a recent podcast hosted by Breitbart News editor Alex Marlow, Posobiec said the MAGA base see this case as shorthand for the thorough rot of the so-called "deep state"."It's not that they care about Epstein personally," he said. "It's that they care that there's this optic that Epstein was somehow involved with a shadowy system that actually has control over our government, control over our institutions, control of our lives, and really is a ruling power over us."Over the years, some have claimed that government officials possess files on Epstein that reveal sordid details, including that a "client lint" exists with notable names on it who may have participated in some Epstein's alleged has, in the past, played to that crowd. During last year's election campaign, he said he would have "no problem" releasing Epstein case files, and after the election directly answered a question about whether he would "declassify" the files by saying: "Yeah, yeah, I would."Conspiratorial thinking has been a part of President Trump's movement from the outset. His entry into the once-crowded world of Republican Party politics a decade ago came as he amplified the false theory that Barack Obama wasn't born in the United however, the world of conspiracy is biting back. Epstein's crimes are real and horrific, and there remains the possibility that further information could emerge about they have also become subsumed by grander narratives – Pizzagate, and later QAnon, the sprawling interactive conspiracy theory that swamped the internet during Trump's first term, pushing the idea that the highest echelons of society were controlled by a child-abusing elite cabal. The conspiracy theory spread through cryptic messages posted by a pseudonymous character called Rothschild, author of several books on Trump-era conspiracies, including The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult and Conspiracy of Everything, said Epstein was mentioned in several such messages dating back to late 2017."Epstein is seen as one of the major players in a global 'paedo elite' that's been trafficking children for centuries, and that Q and Trump were supposed to put an end to once and for all," he told the after the justice department meeting in February, administration officials, including FBI director Kash Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino - who both stoked Epstein rumours for years - started to dampen talk of any major on 8 July, the Department of Justice and FBI said in a memo that Epstein's cause of death was suicide and there was no evidence he had a "client list".The president seemed eager to move on, calling the Epstein case "sordid, but it's boring" while also blaming Democrats for continuing to make it an Trump supporters are happy to follow the president's lead. But a subset of extremely online MAGA supporters are still deeply passionate about the Epstein orders officials to release Epstein court documentsProsecutor in Diddy and Epstein cases fired by justice departmentTrump's Epstein strategy could pit him against loyal supporters Several MAGA voices, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, have alleged that Epstein was employed by the Israeli security services. And among more extreme elements of the movement, the conspiracy theories around Epstein sometimes veer into the Rothschild said most of the people in MAGA world are simply itching for more information – if it indeed exists – about the financier's connections with Bill Clinton and other Democrats and Trump opponents. Epstein cultivated powerful people from both major US political long history of MAGA's Epstein obsession mean Trump is now finding it difficult to satisfy the conspiratorial elements in his story took another twist late on Thursday as The Wall Street Journal reported Trump had sent Epstein a "bawdy" birthday greeting in 2003. The pair's one-time friendship is well-known, but Trump says he cut ties with Epstein long ago and filed a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal's parent company, its owner and two reporters following the report. Meanwhile, Trump seemed more willing to indulge the conspiracy theorists, posting on Truth Social: "Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval."There is no doubt that conspiracy theories clearly have the power to motivate some of the president's base. QAnon supporters were among some of the most visible participants at the January 2021 riot at the US a survey conducted just before last November's election, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) think tank found that nearly a fifth of Americans agree with QAnon-linked statements, including most pointedly: "The government, media, and financial worlds in the US are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping paedophiles who run a global child sex trafficking operation."Many see the Epstein case as a confirmation of those views, and the QAnon-believing population is heavily pro-Trump, the PRRI found, with 80% backing the with that support has come influence. Posobiec, the Pizzagate and Epstein conspiracy theorist who was at the DOJ meeting in February, reportedly accompanied Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on a recent trip to also has been photographed meeting with neo-Nazi's, although he denies being a white nationalist did not respond to the BBC's request for is adamant that Epstein's case is connected to the wider conspiracy world."It ties to Covid, it ties to lockdowns, it ties to vaccines," Posobiec said, on the Alex Marlow podcast, which was recorded at a conference last week where multiple speakers brought up Epstein and demanded further revelations."It ties to so many different buckets of the anger people are feeling."Rich Logis, a former longtime Trump supporter who broke ranks and started an organisation called Leaving MAGA, said that these outlandish theories serve "as ties that bind many within the MAGA community", even amongst those who doubt says Trump's dismissal this week of their concerns this left some supporters "feeling confused and stunned"."They expected Trump to keep his promise and reveal those who allegedly aided and abetted Epstein," he the Epstein case presents a political quagmire for Trump, there is also a problem for his supporters, particularly the vocal influencer class, in figuring out where to funnel their rage. Targeting the president could backfire when it comes to their own followers."Many of the major influencers are furious," Rothschild said, "and while they might not take it out on Trump, they might take it out on the GOP (Republican Party) in general."Trump has so far stood by Pam Bondi, his attorney general. But she, Patel and Bongino may increasingly feel the pressure if MAGA's conspiracy wing continues to demand more files - whether or not they actually exist.


The Guardian
24 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Lawyer argues Call of Duty maker can't be held responsible for actions of Texas school shooter
A lawyer for the maker of the video game Call of Duty argued Friday that a judge should dismiss a lawsuit brought by families of the victims of the Robb elementary school attack in Uvalde, Texas, saying the contents of the war game are protected by the first amendment. The families sued Call of Duty maker Activision and Meta Platforms, which owns Instagram, saying that the companies bear responsibility for products used by the teenage gunman. Three sets of parents who lost children in the shooting were in the audience at the Los Angeles hearing. Activision lawyer Bethany Kristovich told superior court Judge William Highberger that the 'first amendment bars their claims, period full stop'. 'The issues of gun violence are incredibly difficult,' Kristovich said. 'The evidence in this case is not.' She argued that the case has little chance of prevailing if it continues, because courts have repeatedly held that 'creators of artistic works, whether they be books, music, movies, TV or video games, cannot be held legally liable for the acts of their audience'. The lawsuit, one of many involving Uvalde families, was filed last year on the second anniversary of one of the deadliest school shootings in US history. The gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. Officers finally confronted and shot him after waiting more than an hour to enter the fourth-grade classroom. At the hearing, the families' attorney, Josh Koskoff, showed contracts and correspondence between executives at Activision and gun-makers whose products, he said, are clearly and exactly depicted in the game despite brand names not appearing. He said the shooter experienced 'the absorption and the loss of self in Call of Duty'. Koskoff said that immersion was so deep that the shooter searched online for how to obtain an armored suit that he didn't know only exists in the game. Koskoff played a Call of Duty clip, with a first-person shooter gunning down opponents. The shots echoed loudly in the courtroom, and several people in the audience slowly shook their heads. Family lawyers are expected to argue the first amendment issues of the Activision case later Friday. Highberger told the lawyers he wasn't leaning in either direction before the hearing, and it is unlikely he will issue a ruling immediately. Meta was not involved in this hearing or the motion being argued.


Reuters
24 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump sues Wall Street Journal over Epstein report, seeks $10 billion
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump sued the Wall Street Journal and its owners including Rupert Murdoch on Friday, seeking at least $10 billion in damages over the newspaper's report that Trump in 2003 sent Jeffrey Epstein a birthday greeting that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to secrets they shared. Trump filed the lawsuit in federal court in the Southern District of Florida against Dow Jones, News Corp (NWSA.O), opens new tab, Rupert Murdoch and two Wall Street Journal reporters, accusing the defendants of defamation and saying they acted with malicious intent that caused him overwhelming financial and reputational harm. Trump has vehemently denied the Journal report, which Reuters has not verified, and warned Murdoch, the founder of News Corp, that he planned to sue. Dow Jones, the parent of the newspaper, is a division of News Corp. "I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his 'pile of garbage' newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday morning. Representatives of Dow Jones, News Corp and Murdoch could not be reached for comment. Disgraced financier and sex offender Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019. The case has generated conspiracy theories that became popular among Trump's base of supporters who believed the government was covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful. Some of Trump's most loyal followers became furious after his administration reversed course on its promise to release files related to the Epstein investigation. A Justice Department memo released on July 7 concluded that Epstein killed himself and said there was "no incriminating client list" or evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent people. Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs." With pressure to release the Epstein files building, Trump on Thursday said he directed Bondi to ask a court to release grand jury testimony about Epstein. The U.S. government on Friday filed a motion in Manhattan federal court to unseal grand jury transcripts in the cases of Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who in 2021 was convicted of five federal charges related to her role in Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls. She is serving a 20-year sentence. "Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the filing. "After all, Jeffrey Epstein is the most infamous pedophile in American history." Blanche called the transcripts "critical pieces of an important moment in our nation's history," and said "the time for the public to guess what they contain should end." He said prosecutors would work to redact all victim-identifying information before making anything public. The Journal said the letter bearing Trump's name was part of a leather-bound birthday book for Epstein that included messages from other high-profile people. The newspaper said the letter contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. The newspaper said the letter concludes "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret," and featured the signature "Donald." Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was allegedly produced - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal. Epstein died just over a month after he was arrested for a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy. Trump, who was photographed with Epstein multiple times in social situations in the 1990s and early 2000s, told reporters in 2019 that he ended his relationship with Epstein before his legal troubles became apparent. In 2002, Trump, a Florida neighbor of Epstein's, was quoted in New York magazine as saying, "I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side." Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office in 2019, Trump said he and Epstein had a "falling out" before the financier was first arrested. Trump said he "knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him" but that, "I had a falling out with him. I haven't spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you." The release of the grand jury documents may fall short of what many of Trump's supporters have sought, including case files held by the administration. Grand juries review evidence from prosecutors to determine whether people should be indicted for crimes. This includes hearsay, improperly obtained information and other evidence that prosecutors would not be allowed to present at trial. Transcripts of grand jury proceedings are generally kept secret under federal criminal procedure rules, with limited exceptions. A judge may allow disclosure of grand jury matters in connection with judicial proceedings, or at the request of defendants who believe it could lead to the dismissal of their indictments. It is likely that some material released from grand jury proceedings would be redacted, or blacked out, because of privacy or security concerns.