An 11-month-old baby found buried alive in a dog cage

A miracle amidst the horror. In South Carolina, USA, little Koah Sharpe, an 11-month-old infant, was found alive on Tuesday, November 10, after spending nearly 24 hours buried in a forest. The child was locked in a dog cage buried underground, shortly after his suspected abduction by his own father.

It all started on Monday morning, November 9th. While the paternal grandmother was looking after little Koah, she temporarily entrusted him to the father, Michael Comer, 25, while waiting for a babysitter to arrive.

"When she arrived, both Michael and Koah had disappeared," explained Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon.

Immediate alert: the family notified the authorities that afternoon. A large-scale search operation was launched, mobilizing more than 100 rescuers and local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. At the father's home, investigators found the doors open and the baby's belongings, but no trace of the two occupants.

Throughout the day, the suspect traveled extensively across the county, hitchhiking or asking relatives for rides. It wasn't until late in the evening that police were able to locate him in a shed in Batesburg. Arrested for burglary and resisting arrest, Michael Comer refused to divulge any information: "At that point, he remained remarkably tight-lipped about his son's whereabouts," the sheriff lamented.

The search continued actively the following morning. Approximately 45 meters from the suspect's home, in the heart of a wooded area, investigators noticed suspicious clues: freshly disturbed soil and pine needles arranged abnormally.

As they approached and began their search, the rescuers suddenly heard crying from beneath the ground.

"It then became a real race against time. Everyone rushed to get him out of there," says Jay Koon.

The infant was locked in a dog cage measuring 60 centimetres on each side, wrapped in a towel and buried in a hole.

According to the sheriff, the towel created a vital air pocket: "By the grace of God, the cage probably preserved enough air for him to survive underground for about 24 hours. He was screaming at the top of his lungs, which is a pretty good sign for a baby."

Rushed to hospital Tuesday afternoon in a worrying condition, little Koah is generating optimism among doctors, who are counting on a full recovery.

"Hopefully, at only 11 months old, he will have no memory of this tragedy," Sheriff Koon said.

Michael Comer remains in custody. Already known to police, he was arrested earlier this year for domestic violence and weapons possession, before being placed on probation a month prior to the incident for aggravated public disorder. New, serious charges related to the kidnapping and attempted murder of his son are expected to be brought against him in the coming hours.

An investigation is still underway to determine the exact motive for this barbaric act.