Alabama lawmakers are preparing to reintroduce a bill that would make the rape or sodomy of a child a capital offense, punishable by death, state officials said in a press conference Thursday. Rep. Matt Simpson,

A Bibb County grand jury indicted five Alabama men and two women in the case. They face accusations of raping, sodomizing and trafficking six young children, including one as young as 3, in an underground Bibb County bunker for more than a year, according to court records.

Attorney General Steve Marshall believes adding the death penalty to severe acts against children could help prevent the crimes from happening.