SPARTANBURG, SC – The baby who was hospitalized after being poisoned with a teaspoon of salt has died, according to the Spartanburg Co. coroner.
23-year-old Kimberly Martines has been charged with homicide by child abuse after feeding her baby salt, according to prosecutors.
Deputies say Martines gave her 17-month-old baby, Peyton, a teaspoon of salt.
Prosecutors say Martines did this to try to win back the baby’s father. The solicitor says the two are separated and the children were living with Martines.
Solicitor Barry Barnette told 7News he, “found out that she fed her child a teaspoon of salt, then had her follow through with a drink after that. She basically did that to try and get her husband’s attention – to get him back into her life.”
Martines stated she was awakened when her baby started screaming, according to an incident report. She told deputies the baby was hot and appeared to be having seizures.
Peyton was taken by EMS to Spartanburg Medical Center on July 31.
Medical staff told deputies that the baby had suffered from acute intoxication of salt, and the baby’s sodium levels showed signs of salt poisoning.
Peyton died at the hospital Wednesday afternoon.
Back in November of 2015, the child’s pediatrician was concerned about the baby’s poor weight gain and developmental delays, and referred Martines to a GI doctor and BabyNet. Martines cancelled the appointment with BabyNet and failed to show for the appointment with the GI doctor, according to the incident report.
The child’s twin sister and an older sibling have both been placed into protective custody with the Department of Social Services.
Martines was denied bond.
