Police in Millbrook, Alabama, have described the rape of a five-year old girl that left her requiring surgery as one of the "worst cases" they have seen in three decades.
Steven Sarandon Barnes has been charged with first-degree rape, aggravated child abuse, chemical endangerment of a child and possession of marijuana.
The 28-year-old from Montgomery, approximately 100 miles south of Birmingham, is alleged to have sexually assaulted the girl at the 400 block of Deatsville Highway.
According to the Montgomery Advertiser, the girl was admitted to Prattville Baptist Hospital's emergency room on Thursday, before being transported to Children's Hospital in Birmingham, where she underwent surgery.
"I will say that this is one of the worst cases that I've seen in my 31 years in law enforcement," Millbrook Police Chief PK Johnson was quoted as saying.
District Attorney Randall Houston described Barnes, who is being held in Elmore County Jail, as "one sick bastard" and said he hoped Barnes would never get out of jail.
"Anybody who would do this to a child is a complete and total danger to the society and does not need to be roaming about the community where children are at large," he said, as per the Montgomery Advertiser. "This is one sick bastard who I hope never sees the light of day. We'll do everything we can to make that happen."
Barnes has four previous felony convictions and prosecutors are determined to ensure the 28-year-old is sentenced to life in prison.
"The defendant has four prior felony convictions, including a crime of violence," Chief Assistant District Attorney C.J. Robinson told Judge Glenn Goggans, as reported by CW-affiliated broadcaster WPIX.
"The defendant is a known drug user. Judge, this was a grisly rape, sexual assault of a five-year-old child."
Goggans was quoted as saying that he "would grant no bond in the case if I could." The bond has been set at just over $10 million, after being initially set at $106,000, of which $100,000 had to be paid in cash.
Meanwhile, the girl is now recovering and is in a stable condition.
"In speaking with our Criminal Investigative Unit, I am confident that we've reached out to all the different social and child advocate organizations that we can to help us make the strongest case possible to prosecute the alleged offender, but even more importantly to help this minor child recover from this horrific ordeal," Johnson added.
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