Baby buried alive by father in South Carolina found alive after 24 hours

Discovery in the woods

An 11-month-old boy was found alive in South Carolina after he was believed to have been buried for about 24 hours, local police said. According to the Lexington County sheriff's department, the infant was found on Tuesday, 10 November, wrapped inside a dog crate that was itself wrapped in a towel and buried just under the surface of the woods. Searchers spotted freshly disturbed earth about 45 metres from the house of the child's paternal grandfather, and when they began digging they heard the baby crying.

“Certainly God is good. Just a few moments ago, we found little Koah, 11 months old, buried alive, clinging to life, crying.”

How the boy went missing

Koah Sharpe was left in his father's care at his mother's home on Monday, 9 November, while she ran an errand. Sheriff Jay Koon said the boy was later reported missing and authorities launched an expansive search involving about 100 people. The sheriff said the towel around the crate had probably provided enough air for the boy to survive the time he spent under the dirt.

The father in custody

Michael Comer, 25, was arrested on Monday night on suspicion of burglary, and prosecutors are working with the sheriff's department to determine any additional charges. Sheriff Koon said Comer was also held for resisting arrest, according to one account. Police believe Comer moved away from the property by getting several rides from strangers and was found at the end of the day in a shed in Batesburg. The motive has not been established, and one outlet reports a prior history of domestic violence between Comer and the boy's mother.

Condition of the child

Koah has been hospitalized and officials hope he will recover fully. Police believe he will make a full recovery and, as he grows, will remember little of what happened, although he will have a survival story to tell for the rest of his life.