Mother accused of stabbing 17-month-old daughter before throwing her from hotel balcony held without bail Channel Jasmine Yonko, 30, who is accused of stabbing her daughter before throwing her off a hotel balcony, went before a Galveston County magistrate judge on Thursday (10/24/2024). During the 6-minute hearing, Yonko was formally charged with the murder of her 17-month-old daughter, Hannah Yonko. Judge Shelby Scott held up District Court Judge Kerry Neves’ warrant order that Yonko be held without bail. Yonko requested a court-appointed attorney during her magistrate hearing. Once she has an attorney, she won't enter a plea until she appears in an arraignment hearing. Witnesses told police they saw Yonko throw her 17-month-old daughter from the balcony of one of the upper floors of the Beachfront Palm’s Hotel at the corner of Seawall Blvd. and 59th Street. According to a probable cause affidavit used to charge Yonko, hotel security video, it was confirmed that the child was seen falling from the third-floor balcony that faces 59th Street. Police accused Channel of being the one who tossed or deliberately dropped her daughter over the balcony. When first responders arrived, Hannah was still showing signs of life and was rushed to UTMB’s Trauma Center at John Sealy Hospital. Hannah died not long after arriving at the hospital. During a media briefing on Wednesday, Galveston Police Chief Doug Balli said the child showed signs of injuries from a high fall and “other life-threatening injuries.” The probable cause affidavit released by Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady Thursday morning said officials found three “puncture marks” when examining the girl, indicating she had been stabbed before being tossed from the balcony of the hotel. According to the charging document, detectives found a trash bag in the parking garage under the Beach Front Palms Hotel containing a key card, a knife with a black handle, sand toys, diapers, and kids’ snacks. They also said surveillance video showed Channel pushing a stroller in the hotel lobby. The footage captured the child’s foot moving in the stroller, and then shortly after, another video showed the child falling, landing on the grass, and rolling onto the concrete sidewalk where she was later found. Yanko, who reportedly was staying at the hotel while visiting her sister, During his press conference, Chief Doug Balli said Yonko was uncooperative and refused to speak to officers, telling them she wanted an attorney. KPRC Ch. 2, a content partner of i45NOW, reported that Child Protective Services said they had cases involving Channel Yonko but none that involved Hannah.

Posted by i45NOW TJ Aulds at 2024-10-24 14:22:37 UTC