11-Month-Old Baby Found Alive Inside Buried Dog Crate After Disappearing in South Carolina

An 11-month-old boy has survived an extraordinary ordeal after authorities say he was buried alive inside a dog crate in a wooded area of South Carolina. The infant, identified as Koah Sharpe, was discovered on Tuesday, November 10, after an extensive search involving nearly 100 law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel. Investigators believe the baby had been underground for approximately 24 hours before rescuers heard his cries coming from beneath freshly disturbed soil.

According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, Koah disappeared on Monday after being left in the care of his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer, while the child’s mother was away running an errand. When another caregiver arrived at the home, both the father and baby were gone. Concern quickly grew, and authorities launched a search after the child was reported missing. Investigators later found evidence that Comer had visited several locations without the infant, raising fears about the baby’s whereabouts.

Comer was located late Monday night inside an outbuilding in the Batesburg area and arrested. However, Koah was nowhere to be found. The search continued into Tuesday, when investigators focused on an area of woods near the home of Comer’s father. There, searchers noticed freshly disturbed dirt beneath pine straw, approximately 50 yards from the property. As they began digging, they heard a baby crying. Rescuers rushed to the spot and uncovered a wire dog crate containing the infant, who had been wrapped in a towel before being buried.

Sheriff Koon said the towel may have helped create an air pocket inside the crate, giving Koah enough air to survive. He estimated that the child had been buried for about a day and described the moment rescuers heard him crying as an extraordinary and emotional discovery. The baby was immediately taken to a hospital for medical treatment. Authorities expressed hope that he would make a full recovery, although his medical condition had not been fully detailed in the initial reports.

Comer was initially arrested on charges of burglary and resisting arrest after being found in the outbuilding. Investigators are working with prosecutors to determine what additional charges may be appropriate in connection with the baby’s disappearance and the circumstances in which he was found. As of the latest reports, authorities had not publicly established a motive. The case has also drawn attention to the family’s circumstances, with officials acknowledging that there had been previous difficulties, though they have not provided a definitive explanation for what happened.

For now, Koah’s survival has become the central focus of a case that could lead to serious criminal proceedings. Authorities have praised the coordinated search effort that brought together multiple agencies and nearly 100 responders. While the infant is receiving hospital care, investigators continue working to establish exactly what happened during the hours he was missing and determine the full extent of the allegations against his father.