El Paso woman arrested for allegedly kidnapping own son from hotel swimming pool

EL PASO, Texas – A 20-year-old El Paso woman has been arrested and charged with kidnapping after she allegedly kidnapped her own son from the swimming pool area of a hotel and then sped away.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Wyndham Hotel along Airway.

Martinez, the biological mother of the 2-year-old victim, allegedly hid behind a secured gate, waited for the gate to open and entered the property to abduct the child.

Police say Martinez’s parental rights were legally terminated earlier this year. However, a court order allows her to have designated supervised visits with the child.

Investigators believe Martinez was tipped off about the child’s whereabouts that day while he was visiting extended family at the hotel.

After snatching the child and ignoring pleas from family members, Martinez reportedly sped away from the scene.

She was found a short time later and taken into custody.

The child was found unharmed and returned to his legal guardians.

Martinez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a $500,000 bond.