A Houston woman accused of killing her infant daughter in Galveston could face the death penalty. Prosecutors have yet to decide if they will pursue the state’s most severe punishment as Channel Yonko’s capital murder trial is set to begin in December.
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People in Galveston County are thinking about whether to seek the death sentence for Channel Yonko, a 30-year-old woman from Houston who is charged with capital murder in the death of her 17-month-old daughter Hannah Yonko.
Yonko's hearing by a jury is set to start on December 1. A probable cause affidavit says that on October 23, 2024, the baby fell from a third-floor balcony at the Beachfront Palms Hotel in Galveston. The footage was caught on hotel security cameras. The statement also says it seems likely that the child had been stabbed several times before the fall.
Jack Roady, the district attorney for Galveston County, stressed how serious it was to seek the death sentence. "The taking of a human life by the government in the name of justice is the most serious decision anyone in the criminal justice system can make," Roady said. His office will make an official announcement once all the crucial details have been looked over.
Yonko was charged on January 14, and her mental health has been checked. In February, psychiatrist Edward Gripon said that Yonko was competent to stand trial because she knew the legal process and gave a detailed account of what she did before her daughter died.
According to court papers, Yonko denied using drugs or having any health problems, but she did say she had a history of head injuries and memory problems.
Since Travis Mullis was given the death penalty in 2011 for killing his baby son, Galveston County has not sought the death penalty. Yonko could be put to death or prison for life if she is found guilty.
Margaret Hindman, her defense lawyer, has not replied to questions from the media.
