South Carolina baby rescued after being buried in a crate

An 11-month-old baby named Koah Sharpe has been rescued in South Carolina after being discovered buried in a crate, according to local authorities. The infant was found clinging to life near his father’s residence in Lexington County, where he had been left for approximately 24 hours.

The search for the child began on Monday when Michael Comer, 25, took Koah from his mother’s house. At the time, Comer’s mother, Patricia Comer, was supervising the child and had briefly left the two alone. During this brief absence, Comer departed abruptly with the baby.

Police noted that Comer traveled to several locations without the infant before being arrested on a burglary charge on Monday evening. Because Koah was not present at the time of the arrest, a large search party consisting of 100 police and fire department officials was deployed to locate the missing child.

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon stated that when officers questioned Comer about his son’s whereabouts, the father did not provide much information. Investigators subsequently combed through the woods near the family home and observed freshly disturbed dirt, which prompted them to begin digging.

As rescuers excavated the area, they heard the sound of a baby crying. Sheriff Koon described the noise as the most joyful sound imaginable, triggering a frantic effort to extract the child. The baby was found inside a crate that was wrapped in a towel.

Authorities believe the towel provided enough air for Koah to survive the ordeal. Additionally, the cold weather likely prevented the infant from overheating in the confined space. Koon estimated that the crate, which appeared to be a standard two-foot by two-foot dog crate, was buried with at least one foot of space between the top of the container and the ground surface.

Koah has been transported to a hospital where he is receiving medical care. Sheriff Koon expressed hope that the child would make a full recovery, though police are still determining what additional charges to file against the father.

Court records indicate that Comer had previously pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges. Sheriff Koon noted that there were obviously some issues with the relationship between the parents, which may have contributed to the circumstances of the incident.

Patricia Comer, the child’s grandmother, spoke to NBC News about the arrangement. She explained that Koah’s mother had full custody but allowed Patricia to supervise while her son watched the baby. She stated that Comer had previously cared for the infant unsupervised without any known problems.

Reflecting on the discovery, Patricia Comer expressed her shock at the events. She told reporters that as the baby’s mother, she never expected such an outcome from her son.