An extensive search for 11-month-old Koah Sharpe in Lexington County, South Carolina, ended in a dramatic rescue on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, after search teams located the missing infant buried inside a dog crate in a wooded area near Batesburg-Leesville.
Authorities said the child was found alive after investigators noticed signs of recently disturbed ground. The discovery came more than 24 hours after he was reported missing.
How the infant went missing
According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, Koah had been staying with his paternal grandmother while the family expected another caregiver to arrive. When that person showed up, the infant and his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer, were no longer there.
Family members subsequently reported the child missing, triggering a search involving local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Investigators focused part of their search on a wooded location near the home of Comer’s father. The area was approximately 50 yards into the woods.
Search teams hear a baby crying underground
During the operation, investigators spotted freshly disturbed soil and pine straw. As they began digging, they heard what sounded like a baby crying beneath the ground.
The sound led rescuers to a wire dog crate containing Koah. He was reportedly wrapped in a towel, with the crate covered by soil.
Sheriff Koon said investigators believed the infant had been underground for approximately 24 hours. He suggested that the towel may have helped preserve an air pocket inside the crate, potentially allowing the child to survive until rescuers reached him.
Koah was removed and taken to a hospital for treatment. His full medical condition was not disclosed in the initial account, although authorities expressed hope that he would recover.
Father arrested as investigation continues
Michael Comer was arrested on Monday night after authorities located him in an outbuilding in Batesburg. The initial charges reported were burglary and resisting arrest.
The infant was not with Comer when officers apprehended him. Sheriff Koon said investigators were consulting with prosecutors to determine whether further charges would be brought.
Authorities had not established a motive for the incident in the information provided, and the investigation remained active.
Rescue brings relief after extensive search
Nearly 100 public safety personnel reportedly took part in the search. Sheriff Koon described the moment rescuers heard Koah crying as an emotional and joyful point in the operation.
The infant’s discovery alive brought relief after more than a day of uncertainty. Attention has now turned to his medical recovery and the continuing investigation into how he came to be buried in the wooded area.
Disclaimer: This report is based on the supplied account of the incident. Criminal allegations and charges are not proof of guilt, and the investigation may produce additional information.