A man has been charged with the rape of a 5-year-old girl, who had to be transported to a Birmingham hospital for surgery following the Thursday sexual assault.

Steven Sarandon Barnes, 28 of Montgomery, is charged with first-degree rape, chemical endangerment of a child and second-degree possession of marijuana.

Millbrook Police Chief PK Johnson said he's proud of his investigators for the swift arrest and that he hopes Barnes is "never able to do this to anyone again."

"I will say that this is one of the worst cases that I’ve seen in my 31 years in law enforcement," Johnson said in an emailed statement.

Police began investigating the assault after the girl was taken to Prattville Baptist Hospital on Thursday.

The girl was treated in the emergency room but had to be taken to the Children's Hospital in Birmingham for surgery.

As of Saturday morning, Johnson said he believes the girl is in 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 said.

Millbrook police identified Barnes as the suspect and arrested him at the 400 block of Deatsville Highway, where the sexual assault allegedly occurred.

Barnes is being held in Elmore County Jail under a $106,000 bond, $100,000 of which must be paid in cash.

District Attorney Randall Houston said they will work Monday to increase the charges and bond amount.

"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," Houston said in a phone call. "This is one sick bastard who I hope never sees the light of day. We'll do everything we can to make that happen."

News tips? Questions? Call reporter Andrew Yawn at 334-240-0121 or email him at ayawn@gannett.com.