Baby buried alive in dog crate survives; South Carolina father charged with attempted murder
An 11-month-old boy was found alive after being buried underground in a dog crate in Lexington County, SC. His father faces attempted murder charges.
Infant dug from the ground after 24 hours; father Michael Comer arrested
An 11-month-old boy, Koah Sharp, was found alive after being buried underground in a wire dog crate in Lexington County, South Carolina, nbcnews.com reports. His father, Michael Comer, 25, has been charged with attempted murder and several additional counts, authorities announced Wednesday.
Comer took the baby on Monday, according to Lexington County Sheriff Brayn "Jay" Koon. Searchers located Koah on Tuesday afternoon after noticing a patch of disturbed earth near a home belonging to Comer's father. When investigators heard the baby crying beneath the surface, they quickly dug him out.
Koah is expected to make a full recovery. He was released from hospital on Tuesday and is currently in the care of family members.
Sheriff Koon said the baby is believed to have been buried for approximately 24 hours. The wire crate had been wrapped in a towel, which most likely created an air pocket allowing Koah to breathe. Cool weather conditions may also have contributed to his survival, Koon added.
Comer was initially arrested on a burglary charge after he was discovered in an outbuilding Monday night. The sheriff's office confirmed Wednesday that he now faces charges of attempted murder, unlawful conduct toward a child, custodial interference, and burglary. Jail records showed Comer remained in custody on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether he had legal representation.
Koah's mother holds custody of the child, according to Comer's mother. The mother told a sheriff's deputy she had allowed Comer brief access to Koah, expecting the visit to last only a day or two. She also reported that Comer had threatened her via Facebook Messenger, stating he intended to keep the child, according to a police report.
The search for the missing infant involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, local firefighters, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local law enforcement.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)