Channel Yonko accused of dropping 17-month-old from Galveston hotel balcony intentionally: court documents
HOUSTON - A young girl who died after she was found bleeding on a Galveston street had puncture marks on her back and is believed to have been intentionally dropped from a hotel balcony by her mother, court documents reveal.
An arrest warrant affidavit reveals heartbreaking details in the death of 17-month-old Hannah Yonko. Her mother, 30-year-old Channel Yonko, has been charged with capital murder and is being held in jail without bond.
SUGGESTED: Channel Yonko, charged in death of baby found in Galveston, denied bond
Police say Hannah was found with traumatic injuries on the side of the road in the 3300 block of 59th Street, on the east side of Beach Front Palms Hotel, around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. Detectives noticed a white blanket half on a sidewalk and half on the street. According to records, the detectives noticed a small pool of blood on the street.
She was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
According to the affidavit by a Galveston police detective, police learned that the girl had three puncture wounds.
Police put out a description of a woman who left from the location where the toddler was found, and an officer located a crying woman who matched the description a short time later less than a mile away, according to the document.
The woman reportedly asked the officer for help and started making comments about her daughter and that she might have been sick.
She was taken to the police department for questioning. According to the affidavit, she said that she wanted to talk to a lawyer and wouldn’t give police her name.
According to the document, Channel’s sister was also at the police station and told police that she had been staying at the hotel with Channel and Channel’s daughter. The sister told officials Channel had sole care and custody of Hannah at the time she was in Galveston.
Channel Yonko (left) and Hannah Yonko (right)
On Wednesday, the sister and Channel were gathering their things to begin checking out when the sister left to try and speak with her fiancé at The Victorian in the 6300 block of Seawall Boulevard. The sister claims Channel showed up to The Victorian, pushing a stroller. She initially said Hannah was inside but told officials she didn't actually see the child and had no reason to believe she wasn't in the stroller.
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The sister told officials she let Channel know she was going back to their hotel to get their luggage since she couldn't find her fiancé, but Channel told her repeatedly "don't go back to the hotel."
Court records say detectives found a trash bag in the parking garage under the hotel nearby where the 17-month-old was found and inside was a room key to the room the sisters and toddler were staying in, a "skinning" knife, plastic sand toys, unused diapers, and unopened kids' snacks.
Video footage was obtained by investigators showing Channel in the lobby of the Beach Front Palms Hotel pushing Hannah inside a stroller. The child's foot can be seen moving inside the stroller. Shortly after, video from the second story shows baby Hannah falling from what appeared to be the third floor, landing on grass, and rolling onto the concrete sidewalk. Hannah's empty stroller was found at The Victorian.
Wednesday morning is when a man found the 17-month-old wrapped in a blanket on the side of the road near Kroger on 5710 Seawall Boulevard. Documents state Hannah's clothes she was wearing and the blanket she was wrapped in did not have puncture wounds as were found on her back.
The affidavit states Yonko intentionally and knowingly caused the death of an individual younger than 10 years of age by dropping her from a hotel balcony.
Child Protective Services also said Channel Yonko has a previous history with CPS. Channel is being held at the Galveston County Jail without bond.
People are continuing to bring gifts to the memorial to honor little Hannah.