Channel Yonko, charged in death of baby found in Galveston, denied bond

Mother charged in death of toddler found abandoned

FOX 26 Reporter Abigail Dye has more on the investigation after an abandoned toddler was found abandoned in Galveston and was later pronounced dead.

GALVESTON, Texas - Bond has been denied for a mother charged in the death of a baby girl who was found injured on a Galveston street Wednesday morning.

Channel Yonko, 30, appeared in court Thursday morning on a capital murder charge in the death of her daughter, 17-month-old Hannah Yonko. She was taken back to jail without bond.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Channel is accused of intentionally dropping her daughter from the balcony of a hotel. The document states that video shows the girl appearing to fall from the third floor to the ground below.

According to the affidavit, the girl also had three puncture wounds.

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Hannah was rushed to the hospital by EMS around 9:45 a.m. after she was found on the pavement in the 3300 block of 59th Street, just off of Seawall Blvd.

Channel Yonko (left) and Hannah Yonko (right)

She was taken to UTMB Galveston’s trauma center, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police say quick work by their patrol officers resulted in the suspect being identified and taken into custody.

Authorities are still asking anyone with surveillance cameras in the area to review any footage for information that may help investigators. If they have anything, they should call police detectives at (409)765-3777.

Those with any other information that may be pertinent to the case can call Galveston Crime Stoppers at (409)763-TIPS or go online at www.galveston.crimestoppersweb.com

Galveston Crime and Public Safety