After an extensive investigation spanning over two months, authorities are providing more details regarding a woman who stands accused of murdering her boyfriend’s 6-year-old daughter, Your Content has learned.
Allegedly, she placed the child’s body in a large plastic bucket and then dragged it to the nearby residence of the biological mother, where she discarded the bucket and remains in the yard.
Officials in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, previously disclosed that Bunnak “Hannah” Landon was captured on surveillance footage from a neighbor’s camera, pulling a wagon on the night of April 25.
During a recent hearing, authorities presented testimony on various aspects of the case, including the cause of the child’s death, the defendant’s actions upon arriving at a police department alone, her phone search history, and the complicated history within the family.
Criminal Commissioner Patricia Joyce deemed the defendant to be a flight risk and a danger to the community. Consequently, she ruled that the authorities should hold her without bond until the trial.
Lead detective Anthony Buttone reportedly testified about Bella Fontenelle, the victim, who had informed a school counselor that she disliked visiting her father’s home and that Landon treated her and her 7-year-old sister poorly.
According to testimony, the tragic incident occurred on the evening of Tuesday, April 25, following the girls’ grandmother dropping them off at their father’s house after spending time with him at work.
The grandmother stated that she did not notice anything unusual and would not have left if she had. Landon was allegedly the only person present at the home with the girls.
While authorities previously refrained from disclosing Bella’s cause of death, Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich confirmed that she had suffered “multiple injuries” prior to her demise.
In the recent hearing, Chief Forensic Pathologist Dana Troxclair from the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office testified that Bella died as a result of strangulation and blunt force trauma. However, her full report is still pending.
As previously stated by authorities, Landon placed Bella’s body in a bucket and then transported it in a wagon, covering a short distance of less than two blocks to the home of Bella’s biological mother.
Upon arriving at the location on Sedgefield Drive, law enforcement officers discovered the victim’s remains inside a large plastic bucket in the front yard. Unfortunately, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have now revealed that Landon’s DNA was found on the bucket.
Subsequently, Landon allegedly returned the wagon to the father’s residence and placed her phone in a plastic bag, burying it nearby.
Investigation into the phone is ongoing, but thus far, there are no statements or texts indicating that Landon was responsible for Bella’s death. However, it was found that she had conducted searches on the phone related to defense lawyers.
It should be noted that Landon visited the Harahan Police Department around midnight on April 26, a few hours prior to Bella’s father awakening to discover that his daughter and girlfriend were missing.
The recent hearing shed light on Landon’s initial interaction with law enforcement officers.
Officer Logan Barlow of the Harahan Police reportedly testified that Landon appeared distressed during the midnight encounter and was wearing the same attire as seen in the wagon surveillance footage.
Allegedly, Landon requested to make a phone call and mentioned that she was experiencing family issues when asked about the matter.
A couple of hours later, police contacted emergency medical services for a mental evaluation.
Authorities have stated that neither biological parent is considered a suspect. Surveillance footage and phone records corroborated the father, according to Law and Crime.