An 11-month-old boy has been rescued after being buried alive inside a dog crate in a wooded area in South Carolina, United States, with his father facing attempted murder charges.
The baby, identified as Koah Sharpe, was found on Tuesday afternoon by a search team near Batesburg-Leesville, after authorities launched a search for him and his 25-year-old father, Michael Comer, on Monday.
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said the child was wrapped in a towel and placed inside the crate, which was buried under a shallow layer of soil in the woods.
More than 100 first responders joined the search after Comer was found late Monday night without the child.
Investigators discovered freshly disturbed soil about 50 yards into the woods near the home of Comer’s father. As officers dug into the ground, they heard the baby crying.
Koon said the child was believed to have been buried for about 24 hours and described his discovery as a race to get him out.
The sheriff said the towel may have helped create an air pocket that allowed the baby to survive.
Koah was taken to hospital and later released to family members. Authorities said he was alive and well and expected to make a full recovery.
According to the sheriff, the baby had been left in his father’s care at his paternal grandmother’s home while she went on an errand. A second caregiver was expected to arrive, but Comer and the child had disappeared before that person got there.
Comer was later found in an outbuilding in Batesburg. He was initially arrested on a burglary charge before authorities added attempted murder, unlawful conduct toward a child and custodial interference charges.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Ademide Adebayo
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