An 11-month-old baby boy from Lexington County, South Carolina, went missing after being taken by his biological father on Monday, November 9. He was discovered buried in a wooded area the following afternoon. According to Sheriff Jay Koon of Lexington County, the baby is believed to have been buried for approximately 24 hours, but was rescued alive and was found crying loudly when discovered. He was then transported to a hospital for medical care.
The infant, named Koah Sharpe, was last seen around 11 a.m. on Monday with his 25-year-old father, Michael Comer. Koah’s family reported him missing at around 3 p.m. the same day.
In response to the report, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and local fire departments, mounted a massive search and rescue operation involving nearly 100 personnel.
On Tuesday afternoon at approximately 1:30 p.m., search teams stumbled upon a patch of recently disturbed earth in the woods near Comer’s father’s residence, located about 50 yards away. As rescuers began to excavate, they heard the sound of a baby crying. Upon further investigation, they found Koah inside a dog crate measuring around 2 feet by 2 feet, which was covered with a towel and buried just beneath the surface.
At a press conference, Sheriff Koon expressed his relief, stating, “God is merciful. Just a few minutes ago, we found the 11-month-old Koah, who was buried alive and struggling to survive, crying loudly—that is the most joyful sound of a baby you could ever hear.”
Koon indicated that the investigation into Comer’s movements led them to believe the infant had been buried for about 24 hours. He speculated that the towel surrounding the dog crate may have created an oxygen pocket, providing the baby with the ability to breathe, and noted that the cool weather likely reduced the chances of overheating or dehydration, which might have increased the baby’s chance of survival.
After his dramatic rescue, Koah was rushed to the hospital for treatment. The medical team is closely monitoring his condition, and the police are optimistic about his full recovery.
Michael Comer was arrested later that Monday evening. Authorities stated that he was initially apprehended on charges of burglary and resisting arrest, and Koah was not with him at that time. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Office is currently working with the prosecutor’s office to assess whether additional charges related to this case will be filed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
In a phone interview with NBC, Patricia Comer, Koah’s grandmother and Michael’s mother, expressed her shock over the events and believe her son belongs where he is now, behind bars. “Honestly, as his mother, I never expected him to do something like this,” she remarked.
Patricia stated that Koah’s mother has sole custody of the child, but she typically allowed Patricia to care for him on weekends. There was no custody agreement prohibiting Michael from watching the baby unsupervised—he had done so in the past without incident.
She recalled that on the morning of the incident, she was caring for Koah but had to step out for an errand. As a result, she left him briefly in Michael’s care, noting that another person was on their way to help look after Koah. At around 11 a.m., a friend stopped by Patricia’s home to deliver baby formula, but no one answered the door, prompting the friend to call her.
When Patricia returned home, she found that neither Michael nor the baby were present, leading her to call the police. “I just felt something wasn’t right,” she said, attributing her intuition to maternal instinct.
Patricia described her son Michael’s actions as “pure evil,” stating that there had been no obvious warning signs leading up to the incident. She also mentioned that he had previously served time for a drunken disturbance and had only recently been released, now residing with her.
The investigation continues as Koah’s family hopes for his speedy recovery and reflects on the terrifying ordeal they have experienced.