Machaela Edwards

Name:
Edwards, Machaela

Date of Booking:
02/28/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
AFFRAY (FIGHTING) – M

AGGRAVATED BATTERY – F

CRUELTY TO CHILDREN-3RD DEGREE – M

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On 02/28/2026 at approximately 1945 hrs, I CPL Crosby, J. (PR# 62579) while working off duty at 7804 Abercorn St (Oglethorpe Mall) was alerted by Mall Security of a fight in progress outside of DTLR. I then proceeded to start that way while informing dispatch of the fight.

Upon my arrival, Mall Security had two subjects in custody and I instructed them to walk them to the security office. I was advised by a employee of Rainbow that the female later identified as Machaela Edwards was inside of their store moments before the fight broke out. She advised that Edwards was in the store buying an item at which time she exited the store and confronted a group of females.

The Rainbow employee further stated that Edwards stated that the group was going to try and jump her when she walked out of the store. She further stated that she exited the store because she knew that Edwards had her child with her. She stated that she didn’t see anything because she was in the store working and knew that Edwards was with her child. The employee of Rainbow was not identified due to not having seen the incident.

Two other females were in the area after the fight broke out and observed the child. They stated that then got the child away from the altercation so that he was not harmed but stated that there were six people fight Edwards at the time of the incident. The two females were also not identified due to not having seen how the fight started. I then proceeded to grab the child and asked if he was okay to which he said yes.

I then escorted him to the service court by the food court and asked for other officers to remain with him due to having been informed that a set of brass knuckles were used in the incident. I was advised that the brass knuckles had possibly been tossed at the scene and returned to help look for them. After having been advised by Mall Security that they would keep looking for the brass knuckles, I returned to the service court where I was contacted by a witness.

Once in the service court, I spoke with [WITNESS #1] about the incident. She stated that she was minding her business when Edwards approached the group of females. She advised that Celeste Gaines was sitting on the fountain. She advised that Edwards walked up and asked “Where is your husband, and he just took me out last week”. She stated that Gaines asked her why she was in the mall trying to start some confusion, at which time Edwards slid some black things on her fingers (Brass Knuckles). She stated that Edwards then “sucker punched” Gaines (Who had nothing to do with anything and was trying to defuse the situation).

She stated that Gaines informed Edwards the they were too grown and that she had her child with her at which time Edwards began swinging on Gaines. She advised that Edwards hit Gaines in the face with the brass knuckles and struck her above the eye. When asked if she observed what Edwards did with the brass knuckles, she stated that Edwards still had them on when she was placed into handcuffs. [WITNESS #1] was asked if Edwards was the one that started everything and she advised that she was. Once I obtained [WITNESS #1] information, she was advised that she was released from the scene.

While I was preparing to speak with Gaines, [REDACTED] arrived on the scene and took custody of the child per the request of Edwards. While still in the service court, I was advised by CPL Gwinn that Edwards still had the brass knuckles in her possession and that they were in her left front pocket. I then proceeded to check Edwards bags to ensure that there were no other weapons before releasing the bags to [REDACTED].

Once the property was released, I proceeded to speak with Gaines. Once inside, I observed that Gaines had a knot to the left side of her forehead which was still bleeding. I further noticed that she had a second knot between her eye brows, with a third just below her right eye. EMS was offered to Gaines and she refused. I then advised her that since she was in handcuffs, I had to read her, her Miranda Rights before I could speak with her. After reading her, her right, she agreed to speak with me and was asked as to what happened in the incident.

Gaines stated that she received a call and was told that she needed to come to the mall and get her niece because she was about to fight. She stated that the caller informed her that she was about to fight a woman with her baby. She advised that she left from where she was and proceeded to the mall.

Upon her arrival, she walked up and observed Edwards exiting a store with her child and that Edwards and the group looked like they were talking so she sat down on the fountain. She advised that Edwards child then proceeded to go and sit beside her at which time, Edwards began yelling “H*es” so she got up and told Edwards “let me talk to you”. She stated “Why are you doing all this, why you saying h*es with your baby right here?”. She advised that Edwards then pushed her in her head at which time people started swinging and she proceeded to start swinging as well.

Gaines advised that Edwards then grabbed her braids and she (Gaines) couldn’t do anything. She stated that was when security arrived on the scene and told everyone to let people go or they were going to get maced. When asked how many times she was hit, Gaines stated that she was “hit about three times with the brass knuckles”. She was again asked if she wanted to see EMS and again refused. Her information was obtained and I proceeded to speak with Edwards.

Upon speaking with Edwards, I advised her that since she was in handcuffs, I had to read her, her Miranda Rights. Once finished reading her, her Miranda Rights, Edwards advised that she was willing to speak with me. When asked what happened, she advised that she was at the mall looking for the new Jordan Wolf Gray shoes but was having a hard time finding them. She advised that she then settled on a different pair of Jordan shoes.

She advised that when she walked out of the store, she observed the group of females sitting in the massage chairs and someone from the group said something to her. She stated that she was “cool” with one of the females in the group so she had said something to her. She stated that one of the females in the group advised “You always asking where my cousin at, where my cousin at, she outside”.

She stated that her cousin was mad at her for going out of town with a guy that her cousin was seeing and that she did not know about. She stated that the cousin had been making threats towards her and “Blowin up my phone” but she did not know who she was. She advised that she then walked into Rainbow and called her family about the incident and bought some jewelry.

Edwards stated that once she was done paying for her stuff, she turned around and seen the cousin and “the other girl” standing outside of Rainbow. She stated that she just knew that something was going to happen so she handed her baby the food bag before reaching into her purse and put her brass knuckles on. She advised that she then walked out of the store and “the girl” kept saying “come on, come on”. She stated that she informed the group that she was not going to fight the whole group and that she only had problems with the once person in the group. She stated that Gaines then walked up, and sat down.

She further stated that Gaines the got up and pointed in her face while saying “Who you callin h*e” and touched her nose so she pushed her hand away at which time the group started jumping her. She advised that once they jumped her, they were yelling “Stop, stop, the police are coming” so she just held Gaines. She stated that when she seen the group outside of the store, she did put her brass knuckles on and that they were the whole reason that she brought them to the mall. She stated that they had been harassing her for years.

I then proceeded to obtain Edwards information and proceeded to watch video of the incident. While watching the video, it was had to see due to the quality of the video. While watching the video, you could see a female sitting down and then get up with someone swatting something out of the way at which time the fight started.

Due to the quality of the video as well as all parties statements, I determined that both Gaines and Edwards were to be arrested for Affray and Cruelty to Children in the 3rd Degree. I further determined that since Edwards used a weapon during the incident, she was also to be charged with Aggravated Battery. All parties were then logged into the call and it was found that Edwards had a suspended license while Gaines was on Parole. After filling out the needed paperwork, I was advised by Mall Security that they wished for both parties to be banded from the mall for five years and a ban form was completed for both.

Gaines was then released on Subpoena so that she could go to the hospital for her injuries while Edwards was transported to MMC to be medically cleared before being transported to CCDC for her charges.

I was then advised that the family of Edwards was inside the seating area banging on the door and demanding to speak with someone. I then proceeded to speak with the family about the incident while trying to get everyone to calm down. While speaking with everyone, the mother of Edwards made a statement that I was racist and that the only reason I arrested her daughter was because she was black. I then informed her that she was wrong and if she attempted to make those accusations again that he could leave the mall and I would no longer speak with her.

I then proceeded to speak with who I believed to be the grandmother since she seemed to have a level head on her and answered her questions. She was then able to get everyone to leave the mall with no further issues. The brass knuckles were transported to the property room where they were logged in as evidence. A CRN was requested and my BWC was active during the investigation.

[End of Narrative]