A 3-year-old girl was found dead two days before Christmas at the Classic Motel in this Lafayette County town, and prosecutors have charged her father and his girlfriend after court documents described signs of prolonged abuse, including zip ties used as restraints and a kick to the child’s head during the night.
The case centers on the death of Novaleigh Galloway, discovered on Dec. 23 inside a room at the roadside motel off Interstate 70. Authorities identified the adults as Kyle Galloway and his girlfriend, Deanne Kay Hankins. Both face counts of abuse or neglect of a child, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and possession of a controlled substance. Investigators noted visible injuries on the child and said methamphetamine and paraphernalia were found in the room. Officials have not announced a cause or manner of death; an autopsy is pending. Court dockets did not list entered pleas by the end of the week.
According to a probable cause statement summarized in charging records, officers observed black eyes and ligature marks on the girl’s wrists and ankles consistent with restraint. Galloway allegedly told police he had zip-tied his daughter earlier that day for “behavioral issues,” and admitted to “swats” on her body and mouth. Hankins told investigators the pair tried to get the child to sleep and that Galloway, upset, “kicked Novaleigh in the head,” after which he said, “That might have been a little hard,” the records state. Hankins also acknowledged striking the child, according to the statement. She later found the girl unresponsive and called for help. First responders pronounced the child dead at the scene.
Detectives documented the room, collected bedding and clothing, and photographed abrasions they said matched the circumference of plastic restraints. Officers reported recovering meth and smoking devices from a bag in the room associated with Hankins. The filing says both adults initially gave conflicting accounts of how the girl sustained injuries, then described physical “discipline” carried out in the hours before she was found. The child’s name and age were confirmed by relatives, who posted an obituary and online fundraiser while arrangements were made in Lafayette County.
The Classic Motel sits along a commercial strip just south of downtown Higginsville, about 50 miles east of Kansas City. Police said the call came in during the morning hours, drawing city officers and county deputies to the scene. Detectives canvassed neighboring rooms for witnesses and pulled exterior camera footage from nearby businesses as they worked to build a timeline. Officials have not released the 911 audio or body-camera video, citing the active investigation. No other children were reported inside the room when officers arrived.
Prosecutors filed formal charges this week and listed the case for an initial appearance at the Lafayette County Courthouse. The filing requests detention while the investigation proceeds, noting the seriousness of the alleged conduct and the presence of controlled substances. If bound over, the case would move to circuit court for arraignment and a schedule of motions and discovery. The Missouri Children’s Division said it is coordinating with police on any prior contacts with the family; the agency did not release a timeline of earlier calls or checks.
Outside the roadside property, a small memorial of flowers and stuffed animals grew as word spread locally. A motel neighbor said squad cars and an ambulance were parked near the room’s door for several hours on Dec. 23 as investigators moved in and out. “We knew something was very wrong,” the neighbor said. At a nearby church, parishioners gathered for a brief vigil after learning the child’s name from relatives. By midweek, the motel was operating under normal hours while the room remained closed off for evidence processing.
As of Friday, the child’s autopsy results had not been released and the defendants had not publicly commented through counsel. The next milestone is an initial court hearing, after which a judge will set deadlines for discovery and future appearances.
Author note: Last updated January 2, 2026.