7-Year-Old Runs to Neighbor For Help as Her 14-Year-Old Sister is Allegedly Being Raped: 'Senseless and Awful'

7-Year-Old Alerts Neighbor That Sister Is Allegedly Being Raped

While her 14-year-old sister was allegedly being raped in their aunt’s trailer, a 7-year-old Alabama girl ran outside to a neighbor who then called police, PEOPLE confirms.

Tony Grissom, 30, has been charged with first-degree rape after he allegedly raped a 14-year-old who had allegedly become intoxicated after being served alcohol, Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver tells PEOPLE.

“I just can’t understand why a 30-year-old man has that kind of thought,” Oliver told AL.com. “It’s just senseless and awful.”

The two sisters were at their aunt’s trailer home on Wednesday in Russellville, Alabama. Their aunt, Melinda McNatt, 51, allegedly invited friends over to drink alcohol and take methamphetamine.

• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

The 14-year-old got became intoxicated, and Grissom allegedly took her into a back room and raped her, Oliver said.

When her 7-year-old sister heard what was happening in the other room, she allegedly tried to wake and alert some of the other adults in the trailer, but everyone was unresponsive.

Oliver said that the girl then ran out of the trailer home and alerted a neighbor. The neighbor called authorities who arrived on scene and arrested Grissom and McNatt.

“Thank goodness she was there and had the courage to go get help,” Oliver told AL.com. “It was bad enough, but it could have been a lot worse,” Oliver said.

Oliver said that there is no familial relationship between Grissom and the girl and that Grissom was just a visitor.

The alleged victim was treated and released from Russellville hospital, AL.com reports.

If convicted of first-degree rape, Grissom faces life in prison.

Authorities also arrested McNatt. She’s facing two drug charges , and charges of endangering the welfare of a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Both Grissom and McNatt are in custody, and the bail amount for both inmates is was not immediately known.

PEOPLE’s phone calls to retrieve attorney information and preliminary court dates for both Grissom and McNatt were not immediately returned.