Lexington County missing baby found alive buried in dog crate, Digi Mart USA News (Lexington County, South Carolina): Authorities in Lexington County, South Carolina, found 11-month-old Koah Sharpe safe nearly a full day after he was reported missing.
Koah was located Tuesday afternoon, just over 24 hours after he was last seen with his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer. The two had been in the area of Parthenon Road.
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Koah was found buried in a dog crate wrapped in a towel. “By the grace of God, [it] probably provided enough air for him to survive ur estimation of the last 24 hours under that dirt,” Koon said.
The sheriff said Comer’s mother was caring for the child when Comer arrived at the home on Monday. She then left Koah in Comer’s care while another caregiver was on the way.
“By the time the caregiver got there, Michael was gone and Koah was gone with him,” Koon said.
Other members of Koah’s family filed a missing persons report Monday afternoon. Koon said authorities went to the nearby home of Comer’s father, where they found both doors open and Koah’s belongings, but no sign of either Comer or Koah.
Authorities also believe Comer was in multiple locations across Lexington County on Monday, but noted that he does not have access to a vehicle, which is why an Amber Alert was never issued. “To be able to issue an Amber Alert, you have to have a known description of a car and a license plate to put that out,” Koon explained Tuesday.
The sheriff said it is believed Comer asked for rides to get from place to place. Video footage also pointed to Comer being in the Batesburg-Leesville area, but with no baby.
Authorities arrested Comer Monday night on a burglary charge after finding him in a shed on Columbia Avenue in Batesburg. Koah was not with him at the time.
The search for the 11-month-old extended into Tuesday, with local, state, and federal agencies searching for Koah. Before Koah was found, his grandmother, Patricia Cromer, rushed to the scene, waiting for answers.
She said her son had mentioned taking Koah to New York but she never thought this would happen.
“I’m hurt. I’m heartbroken.
I’m devastated,” she said. “He (Koah) is a wonderful child.
He’s full of life. He don’t deserve to be out here like this.”
Koon said it was not until authorities looked near Comer’s father’s house that they found pine straw and “freshly disturbed dirt.” Once they started digging, they heard Koah crying. “So as you imagine, the race was on,” Koon said.
“Everybody’s getting down there trying to get him out.”
Koon said it is believed Koah was buried for around 24 hours. “It was buried and it was wrapped with a towel.
So probably created an air pocket, if you can imagine,” Koon said when asked about the crate. “It was a, I call it a dog crate.
It’s not, it’s not a, it’s got slat…wire slats. So it’s open and he took a towel and wrapped it.”
The sheriff said Koah is being treated at a hospital. Comer remains in custody as of Tuesday afternoon.
Comer’s arrest comes just over a month after he was placed on probation following a guilty plea for aggravated breach of peace, according to public court and state records. Court records also show Comer had previous arrests earlier this year for domestic violence, as well as a weapons-related charge.
This is a developing story.
