Texas – In a deeply disturbing case in Texas that has captured nationwide attention, a 39-year-old Indiana woman, identified as N. Martin, has been charged after drowning a 4-year-old girl during a purported baptism attempt in a bathtub. Martin, who according to reports, was a cousin of the 4-year-old girl’s mother, faces capital murder charges after the tragic incident that took place in September 2023.
The ordeal began on the morning of September 9, 2023, when emergency services were called to a residence where they found a young girl unresponsive in a bedroom. According to the District Attorney’s Office, the initial call to authorities came after Martin discovered the child cold to the touch, with foam coming out of her mouth. This discovery was made hours after the alleged drowning occurred, following a distressing night that ended fatally for the young child. Investigations revealed a grim scene: puddles surrounded a large, dirty Jacuzzi tub, indicating a struggle or frantic activity had taken place. Martin, reportedly distressed, told officers she had bathed the child and her siblings the previous night and admitted to being in the bathtub with them. However, her recollections of the events were inconsistent; she struggled to remember details when questioned by the police.
Martin was arrested in December 2024 in Indiana and extradited to Texas, where she was formally charged with capital murder of a child under 10 years old. According to the affidavit, the situation unfolded as Martin attempted to perform baptisms on the child and her siblings, holding them underwater. This horrifying act was described by the victim’s siblings, who told authorities that Martin held their sister under the water until she stopped moving, and later, Martin lay with the unresponsive child in the bathtub, delaying the call to 911 until the following morning. According to reports, Martin told the children that “God would show them something” shortly before she drowned the 4-year-old girl…