Toddler found dead after being taken from home by father without permission, police say

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - A Tennessee toddler was found dead Monday morning after he was taken by his biological father without permission.

Memphis police said the boy’s father was taken into custody while officers continued to investigate what led up to 3-year-old Joseph Martinez’s death.

Officials have not confirmed a cause of death and the boy’s father has not been criminally charged.

On Sunday night, officers responded to a custodial interference incident on Southbridge Street after Joseph’s father left the home with the toddler without permission, according to Memphis police.

The following morning, Memphis police said officers responded to the home for a follow-up call after the father returned to the residence without Joseph.

“That’s terrible. That is ridiculous. He didn’t have to do that,” Hattie Briggs, who has lived in the neighborhood for decades, said.

Memphis police said the father was detained and officers started conducting an investigation.

An alert was issued for Joseph on Monday at 9:22 a.m., but it was later canceled at 9:52 a.m.

Officers received information regarding a possible location for Joseph in the 100 block of North Front Street. Memphis police said officers found Joseph dead at that location.

“That’s alarming, seeing that somebody would just take their child and do harm to them or want to do harm to them,” Jimmy Bell, who lives around the corner from where Joseph was taken, said.

Three miles from North Front Street, investigators also had part of North Second Street near Pear Avenue blocked off for hours as part of the investigation.

“He could’ve left the baby on my doorstep. I would’ve got the child some help. I don’t understand that,” Briggs added.

Residents in Parkway Village said their prayers are with Joseph’s family.

“We try and help each other and try and help keep each other safe, and we see somebody trying to hurt somebody, we going to call somebody and get them some help. I hate it that didn’t happen for that little baby,” Briggs said.

The investigation is ongoing, Memphis police said.