Man accused of trying to molest 14-year-old girl dies in Cherokee County jail
A Bartow County man who was arrested during a child sex sting died Thursday from an apparent suicide, authorities said.
Mark Maloney, 56, of Emerson, was arrested on four felony charges earlier in January, AJC.com previously reported. He was accused of trying to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex in Woodstock, but that person ended up being an undercover detective.
RELATED: Bartow County man arrested, accused of driving to Woodstock to meet teen for sex
He communicated online with detectives posing as the teenage girl, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Jay Baker previously said.
Maloney was arrested Jan. 9 on one count each of criminal attempt to commit child molestation, obscene internet contact with a child, sexual exploitation of a child and trafficking a person for sexual service. He was held without bond.
On Friday, Baker confirmed Maloney’s death. Deputies attempted life saving measures before Maloney was taken to Northside Cherokee Hospital, where he later died. Maloney’s manner of death was not provided.
The investigation was handed over to the GBI, which is customary for inmate and in-custody deaths.
In other news:
About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
