DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A man sexually assaulted a child in a Decatur motel room before making death threats against them, police said.
Officers said Clarence A. Ballard, 47, a family acquaintance of the victim, had them in a car on Saturday. While in the car, sworn statements said he "began snorting an unknown substance" and tried to make the child take some of it. The documents said he took the child's phone so they couldn't call anyone.
Ballard is accused of then taking the victim to Sandy's Motel (1675 E. Pershing Road) and asking for a room "in the back". A witness reported seeing him pull the victim toward the room and hit them in the head with his hand. Before going to the room, police said he tried to strangle the child.
The sexual assault happened in the motel room, according to statements, as Ballard recorded it on his cell phone.
When Ballard and the child left the motel, police said the victim told Ballard they were going to call police, and he said he would kill the victim if they did. Statements said he drove the child to a wooded area and punched them with a closed fist.
Officers said the child ran from the car and into the wooded area to get away from Ballard, who followed and made death threats. The child then reached North Summit Avenue and Trump Hill Lane, where they flagged down a vehicle and told that driver to call police.
A family member came to pick up the child and take them to a hospital.
Officers said Ballard arrived at Decatur police headquarters later on the same night and admitted to having the child with him, taking the victim to the motel and using drugs, but denied accusations of sexual assault.
Ballard faces 11 total charges, including counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery, aggravated domestic battery and driving under the influence. His total bail is set at $530,000 in Macon County.
NOTE: This story refers to the child as "they" and "them" in order to avoid saying gender. WAND-TV is not providing any details that could identify the victim.
