An 11-month-old boy who disappeared after being taken by his father was found buried alive inside a dog crate in the woods near Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina. Searchers heard the baby’s cries coming from beneath freshly disturbed soil as they dug through the ground Tuesday afternoon. The child, identified as Koah Sharpe, had reportedly spent nearly 24 hours buried underground, wrapped in a towel and placed inside the crate. He was still alive when rescuers reached him, but authorities said he was clinging to life.
The search began Monday, November 9, after Koah disappeared with his father, 25-year-old Michael Alexander Comer. According to investigators, the baby had been left in his father’s care while his mother stepped out to run an errand. Another caregiver was expected to arrive, but by the time that person got to the house, both Comer and the child were gone. Family members reported Koah missing, setting off an urgent search across Lexington County.
Authorities quickly became concerned when they learned that Comer had traveled to several locations throughout the county. He did not have access to a vehicle and was believed to have been getting rides from other people. That made it harder for investigators to follow his movements and establish exactly where he had taken the child. More than 100 searchers eventually joined the effort, including local deputies, firefighters and federal and state law enforcement officers.
Deputies located Comer late Monday night after finding him inside a shed that did not belong to him in Batesburg. He was arrested on a burglary charge and also faced a resisting arrest charge. But there was one major problem: Koah was nowhere to be found. Investigators continued questioning leads and checking locations connected to the family, knowing the missing baby needed immediate attention.
The search eventually led authorities toward the home of Comer’s father. Investigators had already checked the property and noticed that Koah’s belongings were there, but neither the baby nor his father was around. As searchers examined the surrounding woodland, they noticed an area covered with pine straw and soil that appeared to have been recently disturbed. Something about the ground did not look right, so they began digging.
Then came the sound that changed everything. As searchers moved the soil, they heard a baby crying underneath them. It was Koah. The rescuers immediately rushed to uncover the dog crate, which had been wrapped in a towel and buried in a shallow hole. Sheriff Jay Koon said the towel likely helped create an air pocket that allowed the infant to survive. Authorities believe Koah had been underground for approximately 24 hours.
Koah was quickly pulled from the ground and rushed to a hospital for medical attention. Sheriff Koon described the discovery as an extraordinary moment, saying the baby’s cries were among the most joyful sounds rescuers could have heard. Although the circumstances surrounding his survival remain difficult to comprehend, investigators believe the air trapped around the crate helped keep him breathing until the search team reached him.
Comer remained in custody as authorities worked with prosecutors to determine what additional charges he could face. Investigators had not established a motive for the incident, and the investigation was continuing. For the searchers who spent hours looking for the missing child, the discovery brought an outcome they had desperately hoped for. Koah had been found alive, and the little boy whose disappearance triggered a massive search was finally out of the ground and receiving medical care.
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