A missing student last Thursday proved to be much more serious than first expected.

On Thursday Jan. 13 the Hale County Sheriff’s Department responded to calls from concerned family members over the disappearance of a family member. The disappearance turned out to be the beginnings of a very serious crime.

The investigation ended with four Hale County men were arrested and charged in the rape of a juvenile female. Harold Alfred Rogers, 18 of Greensboro, Seth Gilbert Williams, 18, of Sawyerville and the two juveniles have been arrested and charged with first-degree rape and first degree kidnapping.

Hale County Sheriff Larry Johnson said they caught up with all four the day after the rape was reported. . Johnson said three remained incarcerated while one had been released.

“We caught up with them on Jan. 14 and they were put in the Hale County jail,” Johnson said. “One was released, but the other three are still in as far as I know.”

Johnson said the four men got the girl to get in the car with them and things turned ugly from there. Johnson said the girl, who was only 15, was lured into the car and taken from the school.

“They picked her up from school and from there the crime occurred,” Johnson said. “They drove off and it happened.”

Johnson said the girl usually comes directly home after school on the bus. He said when she did not show her family became concerned and alerted authorities.

“Her family called us and let us know about it,” Johnson said.

“She became concerned when she did not come home on the bus that day like she normally does. We went out looking for her and that is when we found out what happened.”

While the four men have been charged, they have not made any court appearance yet. Johnson said they would likely make their preliminary appearance some time in early February.

“A trial date has not been set right now,” Johnson said. “They will probably make their first appearance before Judge William Ryan at the first of next month.”

Johnson said the department would continue to investigate the case.