In a tragic incident in Missouri, a 3-year-old girl named Novaleigh Galloway was subjected to severe physical and verbal abuse by her father and a woman he knew, leading to her death in a motel room just days before Christmas. This heartbreaking situation has resulted in serious charges against the accused, Kyle Galloway and Deanne Kay Hankins, who now face multiple charges, including child abuse, neglect, and endangerment.

Authorities allege that Galloway and Hankins abused the child by hitting her on the head and mouth as a form of punishment for what they perceived as misbehavior. Additionally, they reportedly restrained Novaleigh using zip ties. The couple also admitted to loudly scolding her, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit.

The affidavit reveals that Galloway admitted to physically disciplining Novaleigh, describing actions such as swatting her body and smacking her mouth to correct her behavior. He acknowledged that this abusive discipline continued throughout the day and night leading up to her death.

On December 23, Galloway and Hankins called the police after Novaleigh stopped breathing while trying to fall asleep. When officers arrived at the Classic Motel in Higginsville, they found the child deceased, with visible signs of abuse, including black eyes and ligature marks on her wrists and feet, suggesting she had been restrained.

The affidavit further alleges that Galloway admitted to using zip ties to partially restrain Novaleigh due to her supposed behavioral problems, consistent with the ligature marks observed by the police. Galloway also reported witnessing Hankins striking the child excessively on the head and mouth, describing the so-called ‘discipline’ as excessive due to its noise and force.

“[Galloway] ultimately stated before this morning of the death, [Novaleigh] was zip-tied and partially restrained due to her behavioral issues, which matched the ligature marks on [Novaleigh’s] wrists and feet,” the affidavit alleges. “[Galloway] stated he observed [Hankins] physically discipline [Novaleigh] by striking [the child] in her head and mouth. [Galloway] described the ‘discipline’ as excessive due to the noise and force used.”

During the night, as they were attempting to go to sleep, Hankins told cops she allegedly tried several times to get Novaleigh to go down, but she “failed to do so” as she continued her “bad behavior.” She allegedly claimed that Galloway “got upset” and kicked Novaleigh in the head.

“Oh, that might have been a little hard,” Hankins recalled Galloway saying after the kick, according to the affidavit. The pair allegedly told Novaleigh “to go to sleep as she laid down on her cot” without checking to see if she was okay or rendering aid.

“[Novaleigh] was covered up with a blanket,” the affidavit says, noting how the adults “thought the child was going to sleep.” They both told police that they heard Novaleigh “making loud breathing sounds, but thought she was playing or misbehaving like she normally did,” according to the affidavit.

Galloway and Hankins both described the alleged abuse that unfolded before Novaleigh’s death, including how they “bound” her and “smacked her” in the mouth and on her head “to correct her behavior,” the affidavit says.

A search of the motel room led to the alleged discovery of methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia. Police say Hankins admitted that the drugs were hers, while Galloway claimed he did not use narcotics but knew they were in the room.

Galloway and Hankins were arrested and booked in the Lafayette County jail. They were being held on Monday without bond.

A petition has been launched to shut down the Classic Motel as it has allegedly become “a focal point for concerning activities that put the members of our community at risk,” according to the petition’s description.

“Many residents have reported increased incidents of crime, illicit activities, and disturbances related directly to the operations of the Classic Motel,” the petition says. “Parents are anxious when their children have to pass by, and many of us feel compelled to avoid the area completely. The once quiet neighborhood is now shadowed by issues that were unheard of before its operation.”

Motel management did not respond to Law&Crime’s requests for comment.