THOMASVILLE — Grady County Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Lt. Steve Clark said Tuesday two Cairo males were arrested and charged following a Saturday case of statutory rape.

“It happened mid-afternoon Saturday in Whigham,” he explained. “The female victim had gone to spend the night with a friend. We’re not sure exactly how she met up with the two males — that is still under investigation — but a neighbor saw something suspicious and caught them in a house that was not theirs. The mother found out and called 911.”

Sexual acts were performed, Clark said, but the 11-year-old female victim was not injured.

Lorenzo Hardy and Deandre Jones, both 17, of Cairo, were arrested in close proximity to the scene, but not at their residences, Clark said.

The arrests occurred Saturday and they were officially charged Monday.

Both males are charged with statutory rape and sodomy. Clark said more charges could be pending.

Hardy and Jones bonded out of Grady County Jail Monday: $10,000 for statutory rape and $5,000 for sodomy each.

Grady County Sheriff Harry Young said Tuesday cases like this are extremely rare in the county, especially with a victim so young, and expressed concern over the case.

“Parents need to talk to their children at a younger age now about sex,” he said. “It would be beneficial to explain to them before they get to 13-14-years-old and hit puberty. If kids start too young, it can cause problems mentally when they start trying to play the role of an adult.”