A 13-year-old in Chatham County gave birth last month while two men remained jailed on charges tied to allegations of sexually abusing her during separate periods in 2025. The central question of who fathered the baby remains unresolved: the Raleigh News & Observer reported that a detective collected a cheek swab from the newborn for DNA testing, but the court documents it reviewed did not say whether the results were available.
The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt
According to the News & Observer’s account of court records, Bryan Lizandra Martinez-Sauceda and Jostin Josue Ramirez-Duarte each face charges of first-degree kidnapping, statutory rape of a child 15 or younger, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. The reported alleged periods overlap in November: allegations involving Martinez-Sauceda span January through at least November 2025, while those involving Ramirez-Duarte fall between November and December. The report says Ramirez-Duarte was charged on Dec. 8, 2025, and Martinez-Sauceda on Jan. 6.
North Carolina law sets different felony classifications for intercourse with a person 15 or younger, with the classification depending in part on the age difference between the people involved. The available account does not establish which classification would apply to either defendant; the charges remain allegations. North Carolina General Statutes § 14-27.25 describes the age-based offense and its classifications.
Paternity has not been established
The girl reportedly told investigators that she believed Martinez-Sauceda was the baby’s father, but that is not a test result. The News & Observer reported that she also believed Ramirez-Duarte would take better care of the child. Until the DNA results are known, the newborn’s paternity remains unclear.
