LOGAN, Utah — Police arrested Hyrum resident Drake Balls, 29, Tuesday following an investigation into a report that he injured a child. The court is charging Balls with one count of aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony.

Balls is a corrections deputy with the Cache County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the probable cause affidavit, officers responded to Logan Regional Hospital Oct. 5 to a report of a child with several injuries, including severe stomach and neck pain and bite marks on his body.

Officers reported observing pictures of the injuries taken the day of the incident and the day after, in which the injuries were red, swollen and clearly identifiable as teeth impressions.

The child reportedly told police that while playing together, Balls bent him in half while on the couch and sat on top of him, causing pain to his stomach to the point where he could not eat without throwing up.

While playing “zombie” with him, the child said Balls kept biting him with his mouth and teeth, despite the child telling him to stop because “he didn’t like it and it hurt,” according to the affidavit.

The child reportedly told police the bite on his back hurt to the point it caused him to cry, but Balls “did nothing about it.”

Balls declined to be interviewed by police about the allegations.

He was booked into Weber County Jail on Tuesday and is being held without bail. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 19.

Cache County Sheriff Chad Jensen said Balls is on unpaid administrative leave while the agency conducts an internal investigation.