Infant Rescued Alive After Being Buried in South Carolina Dog Crate

WHO:

NBC News - The child was an 11-month-old boy.

WIS News 10 - The child was identified as Koah Sharpe.

WIS News 10 - Koah’s father, Michael Comer, was 25.

WIS News 10 - Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon described the rescue and investigation.

WIS News 10 - Koah’s grandmother, Patricia Cromer, said she was “hurt,” “heartbroken,” and “devastated,” and described Koah as “a wonderful child” who was “full of life.”

ABC News - Authorities said Koah was “clinging to life” when found.

WIS News 10 - Local, state, and federal agencies participated in the search.

WHAT:

NBC News - The baby, whom officials said his father had taken, was found alive after being buried in a dog crate.

WIS News 10 - Koah was found wrapped in a towel inside a buried dog crate; officials believed he had been buried for about 24 hours.

WIS News 10 - Authorities heard Koah crying after digging near freshly disturbed dirt and pine straw.

WIS News 10 - Koah was taken to a hospital for treatment.

WIS News 10 - Comer was arrested on a burglary charge and remained in custody.

WIS News 10 - Comer had been placed on probation after pleading guilty to aggravated breach of peace; records also showed earlier arrests for domestic violence and a weapons-related charge.

WIS News 10 - Authorities did not issue an Amber Alert because they lacked a known vehicle description and license plate.

WHERE:

WIS News 10 - Koah and Comer were last seen in the area of Parthenon Road in Lexington County, South Carolina.

WIS News 10 - Authorities found Comer in a shed on Columbia Avenue in Batesburg-Leesville; Koah was not with him.

WIS News 10 - Authorities searched near Comer’s father’s home and found Koah.

WIS News 10 - Video footage placed Comer in the Batesburg-Leesville area.

WHEN:

WIS News 10 - Koah was reported missing after Comer left with him; authorities found Koah just over 24 hours after he was last seen with his father.

ABC News - Authorities said Koah had spent what was believed to be 24 hours buried.

WIS News 10 - Comer was arrested the night before Koah was found.

WIS News 10 - Comer’s probation followed his guilty plea just over a month before the article’s report.

WHY:

WIS News 10 - Koon said Comer’s mother had been caring for Koah, then left him with Comer while another caregiver was on the way; by the caregiver’s arrival, both Comer and Koah were gone.

WIS News 10 - Cromer said her son had mentioned taking Koah to New York.

HOW:

WIS News 10 - Koon said the towel wrapped around Koah in the wire-slat crate may have created an air pocket that provided enough air for him to survive.

WIS News 10 - Authorities said Comer had no access to a vehicle and may have asked for rides between locations.

(UPDATED November 11, 2026 03:00 UTC)

Eleven-month-old Koah Sharpe was found alive, buried in a dog crate in South Carolina. Authorities heard him crying beneath disturbed dirt and pine straw, then rushed him to hospital. His father, Michael Comer, was arrested and remains in custody on a burglary charge.