Suspect agrees to insanity plea in alleged Macomb County child kidnapping case, victims say they were never consulted

Victims say prosecutors never warned them the suspect would avoid trial and possibly enter a hospital instead of prison.

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. — A 24-year-old suspect accused of allegedly abducting a 7-year-old girl and allegedly attempting to kidnap a 15-year-old in two separate incidents last summer has agreed to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, a move that has shocked and angered the victims’ families, who say they were never consulted before prosecutors accepted the deal.

The suspect, Endi Bala, was charged last August in Sterling Heights and Clinton Township. According to police and prosecutors, Bala is accused of allegedly pulling a 7-year-old child off her bicycle, placing her into his vehicle, and attempting to drive away before a relative intervened. Less than an hour earlier, he allegedly tried to force a 15-year-old girl into his car along Clinton River Road.

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Watch my interview with the 7-year-old’s aunt Alecia Childers:

Bala has not been convicted of any crime in these incidents. A Macomb County Circuit Court judge is expected to review the plea agreement this week.

Victims say they learned of the plea only in court

Alecia Childers, whose 7-year-old niece was allegedly taken and whose 8-year-old son was injured during the struggle, said she was never notified that prosecutors had agreed to an insanity plea. She said she learned of the agreement only when she walked into a recent court hearing.

“No one told us. We were never asked,” Childers said. “We walked into court and were told he had already agreed to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.”

Childers described a chaotic and violent scene on a warm August afternoon along the Dodge Park trail system. She said the children were riding bikes and rollerblades when a vehicle pulled between them. She said Bala allegedly lifted her niece off her bicycle and placed her into the front seat of his car. Childers ran toward the vehicle, dove through the driver’s window, and fought him as he allegedly attempted to flee.

Her son, trying to help, ran in front of the vehicle and was injured. A volunteer with the city’s Citizens on Patrol program intervened and helped prevent the car from leaving.

Police also accused Bala of allegedly attempting to abduct a 15-year-old earlier the same day, a case in which a good Samaritan intervened after hearing the teenager scream.

Families fear he could be released sooner through a psychiatric system

Childers and relatives of the teenage victim say they worry that Bala may be released from a psychiatric facility much sooner than he would be from prison.

“We have no idea when he could be out,” Childers said. “They told us we wouldn’t be notified. That terrifies us.”

She said she was told in court that medical privacy laws might prevent victims from receiving notification of a future release.

Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office explains why it accepted the insanity plea

In a statement, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office outlined the process that applies when a defendant is evaluated by the state’s Center for Forensic Psychiatry.

The office said a defendant is first evaluated for competency to stand trial. If found competent, a second evaluation determines criminal responsibility. A forensic psychiatrist may conclude that a defendant was legally insane at the time of the alleged offense.

The Prosecutor’s Office said it relies on the Forensic Center’s determinations because the state-employed doctors are regarded as leading experts.

“We are not psychiatrists ourselves and have no foundation to dispute their opinion,” the statement said. “Given their reputation and our longstanding reliance on their expertise, seeking a contrary view would be improper.”

The statement said it is also the recommended policy of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan to accept the legal determinations of the state’s forensic psychiatrists.

According to the office, if a court accepts an insanity plea and the Forensic Center later affirms the original finding, the case is transferred to Probate Court. The Prosecutor’s Office said it provides victims’ contact information so that the court can give notice if a defendant is ever going to be released.

Victims dispute that notification will happen

Childers said she was told directly that she may not receive notice if Bala is released, citing HIPAA rules. She said that contradicts what the Prosecutor’s Office is now stating.

“We were told they couldn’t notify us,” she said. “Now they’re saying something different. Which one is true?”

Questions also remain about the suspect’s legal status in the U.S.

Childers said a police officer at the scene told her that Bala was in the country on a visa that had expired. She said she does not know whether he is legally present in the United States today, and government agencies have not publicly confirmed his immigration status.

Defense attorney Samuel Bennett previously said Bala is legally in the country. He also emphasized that Bala’s family made multiple attempts to get him mental-health treatment before the incidents.

Bennett said the insanity plea is the correct outcome based on the evaluations performed by the state.

“I know the families are upset, but our system is set up to help people who are mentally ill,” Bennett said. “It’s cruel and unusual punishment to lock up a mentally ill or legally insane person.”

He said Bala will be hospitalized and will not be released unless officials determine he is no longer a danger to himself or others.

Victims hope the judge rejects the plea

Childers said she hopes the judge refuses to accept the agreement.

“He is competent right now. He understands what’s happening,” she said. “We are begging the court to reject this plea and let the case go to trial.”

A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.