Koah Sharpe: US infant abducted by father found ‘clinging to life’ after being buried in a dog crate

The infant was miraculously found after a rescue team member spotted freshly disturbed dirt near a family member’s house.

Matthew Quagliotto
The Nightly
Michael Comer, left, who was last seen with his baby son Koah Sharpe, right, before the infant was found buried in a dog crate.
Michael Comer, left, who was last seen with his baby son Koah Sharpe, right, before the infant was found buried in a dog crate. Credit: supplied/Facebook/Lexington County Sherif

A baby boy who was allegedly abducted by his father has been found “clinging to life” after being buried alive.

Metro reports that the miraculous discovery was made after 11-month-old infant Koah Sharpe was reported missing in Lexington County after last being seen with his father Michael Comer.

It’s alleged that 25-year-old Comer’s mother was caring for little Koah on Monday before he was then left alone with the child ahead of the planned arrival of another caregiver.

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However, when that caregiver arrived the father and son were nowhere to be seen, sparking an urgent rescue effort involving more than 100 police officers and volunteers.

It was only by chance that search and rescue teams saw what was described as “freshly disturbed dirt” in woodlands near a house owned by Comer’s father.

Koah Sharpe with his father Michael Comer.
Koah Sharpe with his father Michael Comer. Credit: Supplied/Lexington County Sheriffs/Facebo

Lexington County sheriff Jay Koon said the child’s audible crying was heard once they started digging into that sport.

The clearly relieved sheriff told a police press conference that Koah was subsequently found wrapped in a towel inside a buried dog crate.

“Certainly God is good,” he said.

“Just a few moments ago we found little Koah Sharpe, 11 months old, buried alive, clinging to life.

“Crying, the most joyful sound you could hear of a crying baby.

“Buried in what I would call a dog crate, wrapped in a towel, that for the grace of God provided enough air for him to survive.”

He laid out a timeline of the search, confirming that Comer had been arrested the previous night and that law enforcement had subsequently visited the house belonging to Comer’s father.

“We found baby belongings inside the house but certainly no baby,” he said.

After discovering CCTV footage of Comer alone in the initial hours after Koah’s disappearance, authorities became extremely concerned and quickly amassed a 100-strong search and rescue team involving officers and volunteers, he said.

Shortly afterwards, those search and rescue teams unearthed baby Koah inside the crate.

“Certainly he is out, under the care of EMS at the hospital.”

Comer, who was arrested the previous night on burglary and resisting arrest offences, is yet to be charged over Koah’s disappearance.

“This press conference is just about thanking the good Lord, that the baby is still with us, clinging to life,” Koon said.

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