11-month-old found alive in buried dog crate in South Carolina
An 11-month-old boy taken by his father was discovered alive in a dog crate buried near the father's home, prompting a multi-agency search and the father's arrest.
Lexington County Sheriff Bryan Koon said an 11-month-old boy, Koah Sharpe, was found alive on Tuesday after being buried in a dog crate wrapped in a towel near his grandfather's house. The child, described as a 20-pound infant with reddish hair and a pacifier, was taken by his father, Michael Comer, on Monday.
The crate was uncovered around 1:30 p.m. about 50 yards into nearby woods, and deputies heard the baby crying as the soil was removed. The boy was taken to a hospital for care, and officials said he was expected to recover fully.
Comer was arrested late Monday on a burglary charge after being located in an outbuilding; the baby was not with him at the time. A search involving nearly 100 police officers, firefighters and federal agencies, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the FBI and the ATF, was conducted after the child's disappearance was reported.
"That, by the grace of God, probably provided enough air for him to survive — our estimation is, for the last 24 hours under that dirt," Koon told reporters.
Authorities are coordinating with the prosecutor’s office regarding additional charges. No attorney for Comer had been identified at the time of the report.