LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC (WIS/Gray News) — Authorities in South Carolina say an 11-month-old baby miraculously survived after he believed his father buried him alive in a dog cage.
Koah Sharpe was found alive Tuesday afternoon, just over 24 hours after he was last seen with his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer.
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Koah was found buried in a dog cage wrapped in a towel.
“By the grace of God, that probably provided him with enough air to survive about 24 hours under this earth,” Koon said.
The sheriff said Comer’s mother was caring for the child when Comer arrived home Monday. She then left Koah in Comer’s care while another caregiver was on the way.
“By the time the caregiver arrived, Michael was gone and Koah was gone with him,” Koon said.
Other members of Koah’s family filed a missing person’s report Monday afternoon. Koon said authorities went to the nearby home of Comer’s father, where they found both doors open as well as Koah’s belongings, but no sign of Comer or Koah.
Authorities also believe Comer was at several locations in Lexington County on Monday, but they said he did not have access to a vehicle. This is why no Amber Alert was issued.
“To be able to issue an Amber Alert, you have to have a known description of a car and a license plate to issue it,” Koon explained Tuesday.
The sheriff said Comer allegedly asked to be transported from one location to another. Video footage also showed Comer was in the Batesburg-Leesville area, but without a baby.
Authorities arrested Comer Monday evening on burglary charges after finding him in a shed in Batesburg. Koah, however, was not with him.
The search for the 11-month-old extended into Tuesday, with local, state and federal agencies joining the search.
Koon said it wasn’t until authorities looked near Comer’s father’s house that they found pine straw and “freshly turned over dirt.” Once they started digging, they heard Koah crying.
“So, as you would imagine, the race was on,” Koon said. “Everyone is there trying to get him out.”
Koon said Koah was believed to have been buried for about 24 hours.
“It (the dog’s cage) was buried and wrapped in a towel. That probably created an air pocket, if you can imagine that,” Koon said.
The sheriff said Koah was being treated at a hospital. Comer, meanwhile, remains in custody as of Tuesday afternoon.
Comer’s arrest comes a little more than a month after he was placed on probation following a guilty plea to aggravated breach of peace, according to public court and state records.
Court records also show Comer was previously arrested earlier this year on domestic violence charges, as well as a weapons-related charge.
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