Second Man Arrested After Baby Found in TX Walmart Bathroom | Crime Alert 5PM 07.18.25

Following Jerry Martinez's court appearance concerning charges linked to a newborn discovered in a Walmart bathroom, his stepfather was also arrested and charged just hours later.
According to Mathis Police Chief Willie Figueroa, 60-year-old Mario Duran, Martinez’s stepfather, was taken into custody on allegations of sexual assault, with his bail set at $300,000.

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alart hourly update breaking crime news Now, I'm Nicole
Parton in Texas, a baby was found inside a Walmart
bathroom and now a second person has been arrested. Following
Jerry Martinez court appearance concerning charges linked to a newborn
discovered in a Walmart bathroom, his stompfather was also arrested

(00:21):
and charged just hours later. According to the Mathis Police
Chief Willie Fuguero, sixty year old Mario Duran, martinez stepfather,
was taken into custody on allegations of sexual assault. His
bill has been set at three hundred thousand dollars. The
arrest of Duran occurred shortly after Martinez attended a bond

(00:42):
hearing presided over by Judge Jack Pulcher. Martinez was arrested
on Monday evening after a Walmart employee alerted authorities about
finding a newborn baby inside a restroom trash reciptacle. The
infant was immediately transported to Christus has Spittle, where medical
staff sadly confirmed the baby's death. Police examined surveillance footage

(01:06):
that revealed Martinez's daughter entering the store and spending about
forty minutes in the restroom before leaving, He was arrested
on site and is facing charges including abandoning, endangering a
child with criminal negligence, tampering with evidence, and witness tampering.
During the court hearing on Thursday, Detective Slenda Tatum from

(01:27):
the Kingsville Police Department expressed concerns that Martinez poses a
threat to the community, indicating that further charges would be forthcoming.
Tatum also mentioned that the defendant had issued threats, though
she did not disclose the specifics or to whom they
were directed, noting that these threats contributed to the witness
tampering charge. Prosecutorretha Cable subsequently informed the judge that martinez

(01:52):
bell was inadequate and raised concerns about a flight risk.
In response, martinez defense attorney Christian Panada are argued that
his client is embroiled in a situation that seems quote
very serious, yet no evidence was presented to substantiate the
claim that Martinez was a flight risk. Panada highlighted that
Martinez is a father of nine children, six of whom

(02:15):
reside with him in Mathis, and that Child Protective Services
is actively investigating the family. Ultimately, Judge Poulcher set Martinez
bond at three hundred thousand dollars, allowing him to remain
in Mathis, but prohibiting any contact with his daughter or family.
Kingsville Police confirmed that the seventeen year old involved is

(02:35):
not in custody, but has been relocated to a secure
environment well Crime and Justice News after this. Authorities in Austin,
Texas are actively searching for a young girl who has
been missing since twenty seventeen. Ava Marie Gonzalez, who is

(02:59):
nine years old at the time of her disappearance, was
not reported missing by her mother, Virginia Gonzalez, who has
recently been arrested for an unrelated matter. Reports indicate that
Virginia provided inconsistent information to family members regarding Ava, and
none of her children were enrolled in school. Ava was

(03:20):
last seen in December twenty seventeen while in her mother's custody.
Virginia Gonzalez was taken into custody in April for causing
serious harm to another child. The Austin Police Department has
expressed grave concerns for Ava's safety, especially following the disturbing
circumstances surround the discovery of her younger sibling. On April three,

(03:43):
locked inside a closet and severely malnourished. Ava is described
as a Hispanic girl with straight brown hair and brown eyes.
Virginia Gonzales, thirty three, was arrested after a seven year
old child was found in dire conditions, malnourished and con
fined to a bedroom closet in their home. According to

(04:03):
a report from an investigator with the Austin PD Child
Abuse Unit, Virginia allegedly kept that child locked in the
closet for a month, providing her only with one corn
dog and half a cup of water daily. The report
further revealed that Virginia instructed her older children to confine
the victim due to a bladder issue and attempts to

(04:24):
consume inappropriate items. When discovered and taken to Dell Children's
Medical Center, the child weighed only twenty nine pounds. In contrast,
the other six children in the home appeared to be healthy.
After an in depth investigation, the APD Child Abuse Unit
secured a warrant from the City of Austin Municipal Court
and enlisted the help of the Lone Star Fugitive task

(04:46):
Forced Austin Division to locate Virginia. Task Force members conducted
a fugitive investigation, ultimately arresting Virginia at the Camborne Drive
and Harris Ridge Boulevard residence. After a fifteen day search
for the mother.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
The missing nine year old child was identified as Ava
Marie Gonzalez. Ava has not been seen in over six years,
so her height and weight are apparently unknown. Missing persons
detectives determined that Ava was last seen in December twenty seventeen,
when she was two years old and in the custody
of her mother, Virginia Marie Gonzalez. She was not reported
missing ever by Virginia or anybody.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
Now the search intensifies for her missing daughter. Where is
young Ava Marie Gonzalez? For an in depth look into
this mysterious missing person's case, joined Nancy Grace and her
team of experts Tonight Crime Stories with Nancy Grace seven
pm Eastern and midnight on Doctor Field's Marriage Street Media,

(05:50):
or download Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite
podcasting app with this crime alert, I'm Nicole Pardon