A baby boy was dug out alive from the ground in South Carolina after authorities say his father buried him in a crate. Eleven-month-old Koah Sharpe had been missing since Monday. Rescuers in Lexington County found him the following day.
Police say the father, Michael Comer, 25, took the boy from his mother's home on Monday. Officers later arrested Comer on a burglary charge that same evening. He was alone when police detained him, and the child was nowhere to be seen. Investigators say he offered little about where the boy was.
A search party of around 100 officers and firefighters combed the area. Rescuers examined woods near Comer's father's house. They noticed soil that appeared freshly disturbed. Digging began, and soon a cry was heard from beneath the earth.
Sheriff Jay Koon described the moment as joyful. He said the child was "clinging to life" when reached. He estimated the boy had been underground for roughly a day. A towel wrapped around the crate likely provided the air he needed to survive.
Cold weather may also have helped. The chill kept the child from overheating inside the enclosed space. Koon said the crate was about two feet by two feet. He believes the boy had room to move slightly within it.
The infant is now receiving treatment in hospital. Koon said he is hopeful the child will recover fully. Charges against the father are still being weighed by police.
Comer's mother, Patricia Comer, had been watching her grandson. She briefly left the two alone at her home. When she returned, Comer had already driven off with the baby. She later told NBC News that the child's mother held full custody.
Koon said the parents had "obviously some issues." Court records show that Comer earlier pleaded guilty to domestic violence offences. His mother says she never expected him to commit such an act.
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