The Door County Sheriff’s Department is saying that an eight & a half month old child died Wednesday after she was left unattended for an extended period of time in a vehicle that had been left running. The department also believes alcohol was a factor in the tragic death of Elena Grace Martinez of Brussels. The information was released during a news conference held Friday at the Door County Justice Center in Sturgeon Bay. Sheriff Terry Vogel & District Attorney Ray Pelrine made brief comments & answered a handful of questions from the media, but did not go into great detail during the news conference. Sheriff Vogel released a statement that provides a time line for the incident, beginning with a call to the Door County Sheriff’s office at 5:12PM. Police & ambulance personnel responded to the report of a pulseless non-breather & found the child was unresponsive. She was taken to Ministry Door County Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 6:09PM. Law enforcement began an investigation into the circumstances leading up to the child’s death & eventually took her mother, Melissa Martinez, into custody. An autopsy was conducted by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners office & final results are pending. Sheriff Vogel noted that assistance was provided by the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office, the Brussels Union Gardner First Responders, Door County Emergency Services, Door County Social Services, Sturgeon Bay Police & the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Office.
