New Jersey police detective is charged with sexual assault after a 15-year-old girl gave birth to his child

  • Camden Police Detective Rafael Martinez Jr was charged with sexual assault 
  • A 15-year-old girl gave birth to his child in Camden, New Jersey, in mid-August
  • Martinez Jr allegedly admitted his role as father and signed the birth certificate
  • The infant's 15-year-old mother told officials that she and Martinez Jr had sex at his Blackwood, New Jersey, home on several occasions between 2016 and 2017
  • Martinez Jr was suspended without pay following his arrest on September 12

A 32-year-old police officer in New Jersey has been charged with sexually assaulting a juvenile after a 15-year-old girl gave birth to his child.

Camden County Police Detective Rafael Martinez Jr allegedly admitted his role as father and signed the infant's birth certificate the night the child was born in mid-August, authorities say.

The infant's 15-year-old mother told officials that she and Martinez Jr had sex at his Blackwood, New Jersey, home on several occasions between September 2016 and August 18, 2017.

Camden County Police Detective Rafael Martinez Jr (pictured) pleaded to to endangering the welfare of a child on Friday after impregnating an underage girl  

Camden County Police Detective Rafael Martinez Jr has been charged with sexually assaulting a juvenile after a 15-year-old girl gave birth to his child

A DNA sample from the baby confirmed that Martinez Jr was the father, authorities said.

In a statement from August 22, a social worker at Cooper University Hospital said that Martinez Jr had confirmed he was the father of the child.

'They both admitted to the (social worker) that Martinez is the father of E.L.'s child and he signed the birth certificate confirming such,' according to a police affidavit obtained by the Courier Post.

Martinez Jr, whose father is also a Camden police officer, was suspended from the force without pay following his arrest on September 12.

His yearly salary with the police department had been $65,792 per year.

Martinez Jr worked for New Jersey's Department of Corrections before becoming an officer in Camden in 2013.

He has received several honors for his police work, including a Meritorious Service award in July 2013 and Officer of the Week recognition

Martinez Jr worked for New Jersey's Department of Corrections before becoming an officer in Camden (pictured above) in 2013

Martinez Jr worked for New Jersey's Department of Corrections before becoming an officer in Camden (pictured above) in 2013