A 10-year-old Limestone County boy was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexually abusing a 3-year-old relative.

Limestone County Chief Investigator Stanley McNatt said Wednesday the 10-year-old, who is in the 5th grade and attends a county school, was arrested on a charge of first-degree sexual abuse, a felony. Authorities did not name the school the boy attends.

The case has been turned over to county juvenile authorities. The boy has been released into the custody of his parents, McNatt said.

“We questioned the boy and he has confessed to forcing the 3-year-old boy to perform a oral sex act on him,” McNatt said. “We are still investigating because with an offender at this early age, leads us to wonder why. We have to determine if he has not been a victim of sexual abuse himself.”

McNatt said the abuse occurred at the home of the 10-year-old in south Limestone County. He said the parents of the 3-year-old filed a complaint with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department after the boy told his parents what had happened.

“We started our investigation and when we questioned the 10-year-old about it, he confessed to doing it,” McNatt said. “The boy did not elaborate further, but we are continuing our investigation.”

McNatt said the Limestone County Department of Human Resources has been called in to assist in the investigation along with county juvenile authorities.