12:50 PM UPDATE: The Kingsville Police Department sent a press release stating the 17-year-old female involved in this case is not in custody but is currently in a secure location.
It also states that the Kingsvillle P.D. will not release specific details surrounding Jerry Lee Martinez's new charges as the investigation is ongoing.
They also announced that the Mathis Police Department is conducting investigations related to this case, in conjunction with their department.
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RAW VIDEO: Jerry Martinez in court for a bond hearing in connection with the dead infant found in a Kingsville Walmart
The Mathis man charged in connection with the newborn baby found inside a Kingsville Walmart restroom appeared in court Thursday morning.
Jerry Lee Martinez, 45, appeared before Judge Jack Pulcher for a bond hearing in the 105th District Court.
Martinez was arrested on Monday night after Kingsville Police said a Walmart employee called 911 after they found a newborn baby in a restroom trash can. The newborn was rushed to Christus Spohn Hospital-Kleberg, where doctors pronounced the infant dead.
Police reviewed surveillance footage showing Martinez's daughter entering the store and remaining in the restroom for approximately 40 minutes before leaving.
She was later found and taken to the hospital.
Her father, Jerry Lee Martinez, was arrested at the scene and charged with abandoning/endangering a child with criminal negligence, tampering with evidence, and tampering with a witness.
During Thursday's hearing, Celinda Tatum, a detective with the Kingsville Police Department, stated that the defendant poses a danger to the community and she believes the police department will file additional charges in this case.
Tatum also said the defendant had made threats, but she didn't specify to whom. She explained that those threats led to police filing a charge of tampering with a witness.
Soon after, Prosecutor Retha Cable told the judge that Martinez' bond was insufficient and that Martinez was a flight risk.
Martinez' defense attorney, Christian Pineda told the judge that Martinez is caught up in something "appears very serious" and there was no evidence presented to the court that proves Martinez was a flight risk.
Pineda also told the judge that Martinez has nine children, six of whom live with him in Mathis, and there is currently an open investigation into Martinez by Child Protective Services.
In the end, Pulcher set Martinez's bond at $300,000. He also said Martinez can continue to reside in Mathis, but he can not have contact with his daughter or his family.
In the meantime, there's no word on whether Martinez' daughter has been released from the hospital or whether she will face any charges.
After the hearing, we attempted to speak with Cable but she declined to speak with us.
We did speak with Kleberg County District Attorney John Hubert who said, "Until evidence is presented, the defendant is presumed not guilty, but it's our job to present the evidence and move forward with the case."
We also tried talking with Martinez's attorney, who declined to give us an interview and said he had just been assigned the case on Wednesday.
Kingsville Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division is still investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call 361-593-8849 or Kingsville Crime Stoppers at 361-592-INFO (4636) to remain anonymous.
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