An 11-month-old boy who disappeared while in his father’s care was found alive Tuesday afternoon, buried inside a wire dog crate in a wooded area of Lexington County, South Carolina. The discovery came nearly 24 hours after the infant was reported missing, bringing an urgent search to an emotional end. Rescuers heard the baby’s cries coming from beneath freshly disturbed soil and rushed to dig him out.
The child, identified as Koah Sharpe, had been missing since Monday, November 9. His father, 25-year-old Michael Comer, was arrested that night, but the baby was nowhere to be found. Investigators continued searching through the night and into Tuesday, with growing concern about the infant’s safety.
According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, Koah had been in the care of his paternal grandmother, Patricia Comer, when his father arrived. Patricia stepped out to run an errand while another caregiver was expected to arrive. When that person showed up, both Michael and the baby were gone.
Family members reported Koah missing Monday afternoon. Deputies later went to the home of Comer’s father, where they found the doors open and the baby’s belongings inside. Neither Michael nor Koah was there.
Investigators eventually located Comer late Monday night inside an outbuilding in the Batesburg area. He was arrested on burglary and resisting arrest charges. However, his arrest did not bring the search to an end. He had been found without the child, and investigators still had no clear answer about where the infant was.
Nearly 100 law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel joined the search. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also provided assistance.
The breakthrough came Tuesday afternoon when searchers focused on a wooded area near the home of Comer’s father. About 50 yards into the woods, they noticed pine straw covering a patch of freshly disturbed dirt. Something about the ground caught their attention, prompting them to investigate.
As rescuers began digging, they heard a baby crying beneath the soil. The sound immediately changed the pace of the operation. Officers and other responders rushed to uncover the buried object, eventually finding Koah inside a wire dog crate. He was alive but in critical condition, according to the sheriff’s account of the rescue.
Sheriff Koon said the crate had been wrapped in a towel before it was buried. He believes the towel may have created an air pocket that allowed the infant to breathe while he was underground. Investigators estimated that Koah had remained buried for approximately 24 hours.
Describing the moment rescuers heard the baby’s cries, Koon said, “So, as you can imagine, the race was on.” The infant was quickly pulled from the crate and taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Koah’s paternal grandmother, Patricia Comer, later spoke about the shocking allegations against her son. She told NBC News that she was stunned by what he was accused of doing, describing the alleged act as “pure evil.” She also thanked the officers, firefighters and other emergency workers who took part in the search.
As of Wednesday, November 11, investigators were still working with the local solicitor’s office to determine what additional charges Michael Comer could face. His initial arrest followed the burglary and resisting arrest allegations, but authorities had not announced further charges directly connected to the baby’s disappearance and discovery.
The circumstances surrounding Koah’s burial remain under investigation. Authorities have not publicly identified the exact spot where the crate was buried, although the search took place near Parthenon Road in the Batesburg-Leesville area. For now, the most important development is that the missing 11-month-old was recovered alive after nearly a day beneath the ground.
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