A 20-year-old father has been indicted for allegedly trapping his 11-month-old son inside a dog carrier and burying him alive. The infant buried alive was dramatically rescued after approximately a day.
According to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, Michael Comer, 25, disappeared with his son, Koah Sharp, on the 9th. At the time, Comer had pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges related to an incident last May where he pushed his wife from behind while she was holding the baby, causing the baby to hit a clothes dryer, and was serving probation.
On the day of the incident, the paternal grandmother, who was caring for her grandson, immediately reported to the police when her son disappeared with the baby while she briefly stepped away.
Responding to the report, a search party of about 100 people discovered a dug-up mound of dirt in a nearby forest the next afternoon. Faint crying sounds of a baby were heard from beneath the ground, and when they hurriedly dug away the dirt, Koah appeared, trapped inside a dog carrier.
Authorities believe that an air pocket was formed underground thanks to a towel wrapping the crate, allowing the baby to survive without suffocating. The rescued Koah was treated at a nearby hospital and safely discharged on the same day.
Prosecutors indicted Comer on charges including attempted murder, and the court denied Comer’s bail request on the 12th. The lead investigator testified in court that day, stating that “Comer showed no sign of remorse for his crime and there were circumstances indicating he attempted to flee to another state.”
Police are currently investigating the specific circumstances surrounding Comer, and the exact motive for the crime has not yet been disclosed.
