Malachi Ballance

Name:
Ballance, Malachi Lee

Date of Booking:
11/19/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
CRUELTY TO CHILDREN – 2ND DEGREE (FELONY)

WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS – MISDEMEANOR

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.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on November 18, 2025]

On November 18th, 2025, I, Corporal Clayton Hughes #520, met with [WITNESS #1] at Signal One (UPD) in reference to a possible child abuse incident. [WITNESS #1] stated that her daughter [REDACTED BY AGENCY] came to her house on November 16th, 2025 around 1845 hours. [WITNESS #1] stated [REDACTED BY AGENCY] father Malachai Balance called her earlier in the day and asked if [WITNESS #1] could keep [REDACTED BY AGENCY] to which [WITNESS #1] agreed to do so.

[WITNESS #1] stated that Malachai had full custody of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] but she gets her every Monday or Tuesday of each week. [WITNESS #1] stated that when she was changing [REDACTED BY AGENCY] diaper around 2036 hours she noticed bruising on her right leg going from the back of her knee all the way to the back of her leg.

[WITNESS #1] stated when she messaged Malachai about the bruise he stated it was a bean bag in the chair and that she also got her leg stuck on something. [WITNESS #1] showed me the pictures of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] leg. I observed some bruising including what looks like finger marks and marks that resemble a cord or a rope of some sort.

[WITNESS #1] stated she took [REDACTED BY AGENCY] to urgent care in Ellijay the following day and was immediatley referred to go to the Piedmont Hosptial Emergency Department. [WITNESS #1] stated [REDACTED BY AGENCY] told her at the hosptial that her daddy (Malachai) caused the bruising to her leg. [WITNESS #1] stated she recorded a video of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stating her daddy did it. I observed the video [WITNESS #1] took and in it, it shows [WITNESS #1] asking [REDACTED BY AGENCY] “Did your daddy do that to your leg?” in which [REDACTED BY AGENCY] replied “mhm”.

[WITNESS #1] stated that she called DCFS and made a report. I contacted [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] stated they had recieved a report from the hospital about the possible abuse to [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and someone would follow up with the incident shortly. [REDACTED] did state the hospital stated that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] never stated anyone had hurt her leg or had been mean to her. I placed Detective Trevor Stanfield #596 a phone call to advise him of the situation.

[WITNESS #1] was given a case number and advised a report would be completed and forwarded to CID for further investigation.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on November 19, 2025]

I was dispatched to a keep the peace with DFACS Case Worker [REDACTED], Malachi Ballance (Suspect and Wanted with active warrants), and [WITNESS #2] (Victim’s Godfather). Ballance wanted to meet with [REDACTED] about getting his daughter (the victim) back from the victim’s mother.

I arrived at DFACS with [REDACTED] and waited on Ballance. While waiting, Ballance called [REDACTED] and stated he was going to the mother’s house to retrieve his daughter. According to [REDACTED], Ballance has full custody of the daughter.

Since the daughter was the victim in this case, I went to the mother’s address at [80 BLOCK] Abbott Court to serve the arrest warrant on Ballance and make sure he did not gain access to the victim.

I contacted Cpl. Carver and Dep. Cousins to meet me on scene. I arrived at the [80 BLOCK] Abbott Court alone to make sure Ballance did not gain access to the child and make sure she was safe. Ballance and [WITNESS #2] were already on scene.

I made contact with Ballance and began to speak about what was going on. He stated the mother would not answer his phone calls or answer the door. He stated he has paperwork in his vehicle. I was parked at the top of the driveway and his vehicle was parked down next to the house. We walked down to his vehicle.

At his vehicle, He gave me a copy of child support paperwork, but he did not have a copy of the custody agreement. I was told verbally by [REDACTED] that Ballance had full custody of the victim, but I have not personally seen any court order stating this. I asked Ballance if he had access to the paperwork. He stated he would call his attorney’s office. He attempted to make a phone call, but no one answered the call.

I explained I cannot do anything until I could confirm he had full custody. He stated that it was my problem. I responded he needed to prove that to me. He responded to get my sergeant. I responded I was a sergeant. He began to walk away from me.

Ballance’s demeanor became elevated and agitated. His voice raised and he began to aggressively talk with his hands by throwing them up into the air and by telling me, it was my problem. At this point I knew my stall tactics were not working.

As he walked away from me, I decided to effect the arrest alone to keep an escalating situation from escalating more and to maintain control over the scene. As he was walking away from me, I told him he was under arrest and grabbed his right wrist to place him in handcuffs. Ballance asked why he was being arrested. I grabbed his left wrist to place the left wrist in a handcuff and explained it was for Cruelty to Children.

Ballance would not willingly give me his left wrist and began to pull his wrist away from my grip. I told him to give me his hand and he did not comply. I them did a leg sweep and took him to the ground to gain control of his person and stop his resisiting. I repeatively told him to quit resisting. Ballance rolled over from his front onto his back and maintained control over his right wrist in the one handcuff and I pinned both his arms to the ground with my knees.

[WITNESS #2] yelled at Ballance to stop resisting. Ballance stated he gave up and stop resisiting. He stated he would roll over. I allowed him to roll over and he did without complications. I handcuffed his left wrist and checked for fit and double locked the handcuffs.

I instructed [WITNESS #2] to leave the property and he complied. I asked Ballance if he needed medical treatment and he stated he did not need any.

[REDACTED], Carver, and Cousins arrived on scene about this time. [REDACTED] completed her procedures with Ballance. I asked [WITNESS #2] to write a statement and he filled out a witness statement form.

Ballance was placed in the rear of my patrol vehicle and seat belted in for his safety. I transported him to the Gilmer County Detention Center for processing and handed custody over to the detention staff.

I will be applying for a OCGA 16-10-24 Obstruction of a Peace Officer warrant based on the probable cause that Ballance did not comply with lawful order given to stop resisting during his active resistance.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #3 on November 19, 2025]

On 11/19/25 I, Deputy Cousin, received a phone call from Det. Sippel requesting me to serve Malachi Balance with a criminal trespass warning for [80 BLOCK] Abbott Court, Ellijay, GA 30540.

On 11/20/2025 myself and Corp. Carver served a criminal trespass warning to Malachi Ballance at the Gilmer County Detention Center, due to him being incarcerated at that time. He signed it and said he understood he could be arrested if he ever went to that property. I provided detention staff with his copy to put in his belongings.

[End of Narrative]