“THEY HEARD A BABY CRYING BENEATH THE GROUND”: 11-MONTH-OLD KOAH SHARP RESCUED ALIVE AFTER 24 HOURS BURIED IN A DOG CRATE — FATHER DENIED BOND
An 11-month-old baby boy has been rescued alive after spending what authorities believe was nearly 24 hours buried underground inside a dog crate in South Carolina.
Little Koah Sharp was discovered crying beneath freshly disturbed soil in a wooded area near his grandfather’s home, bringing an extraordinary end to an urgent search involving nearly 100 law enforcement officers and emergency responders.
His father, 25-year-old Michael Comer, has since been charged with attempted murder and other offenses. On November 12, a judge denied him bond, leaving him in custody as the criminal investigation continues.
The circumstances surrounding the baby’s disappearance, the discovery beneath the ground and the allegations against his father have shocked the local community.
But for the rescuers who heard Koah’s cries, the moment he was found alive was one they will never forget.
A BABY DISAPPEARED WHILE IN HIS FATHER’S CARE
The frightening chain of events began on Monday, November 9, 2026.
According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, Koah had been staying at his paternal grandmother Patricia Comer’s home.
When she needed to leave to run an errand, she left the baby in the care of his father, Michael Comer. Another caregiver was expected to arrive shortly afterward.
But when that caregiver arrived, neither Michael nor Koah was there.
The grandmother quickly became concerned and contacted emergency services.
Investigators learned that Michael had left with the child, and authorities began an urgent search to locate them.
The situation became increasingly alarming as the hours passed without any sign of the infant.
Nearly 100 officers from multiple agencies joined the search, combing the surrounding area and following every available lead.
THE FATHER WAS FOUND — BUT THE BABY WAS STILL MISSING
Authorities eventually located Michael Comer late Monday night in an outbuilding in the Batesburg-Leesville area.
He was arrested on initial charges of burglary and resisting arrest.
However, Koah was nowhere to be found.
According to Sheriff Koon, investigators had discovered that Michael had been seen on surveillance footage without the baby.
This raised further concerns about what had happened to the child and where he could possibly be.
Officers searched locations connected to the family, including the home of Michael’s father, John Comer.
The house was found with its doors open and some of the baby’s belongings inside, but there was still no sign of Koah.
The search continued into Tuesday morning.
A PATCH OF FRESHLY DISTURBED SOIL LED TO AN EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10, search teams were working in a wooded area near John Comer’s home.
Around 50 yards into the woods, investigators noticed an area of freshly disturbed earth covered with pine straw.
Something about the patch caught their attention.
They began probing the ground and carefully digging.
Then they heard something.
A baby’s cries were coming from beneath the soil.
Sheriff Koon later described the moment as rescuers suddenly realizing that little Koah was still alive.
“As they probed it and laid it out and started digging, you could hear little Koah crying,” the sheriff explained.
The discovery triggered an immediate race to get the infant out.
Beneath the dirt was a small wire dog crate, approximately two feet by two feet, wrapped in a towel.
Inside was Koah.
He had reportedly been buried approximately a foot underground and was covered in dirt, but he was alive and crying.
The sheriff described the baby as being on the verge of dєatᩚh when rescuers reached him.
For the officers and emergency personnel who had spent hours searching, hearing his cries was an overwhelming moment of relief.
HOW DID LITTLE KOAH SURVIVE?
One of the most extraordinary questions surrounding the case is how an 11-month-old baby survived being buried underground for such a prolonged period.
According to Sheriff Koon, the towel wrapped around the dog crate may have created a small pocket of air, allowing Koah to continue breathing.
Cool temperatures overnight may also have helped preserve his chances of survival.
Temperatures in the area reportedly dropped to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the night.
Investigators believe these circumstances may have combined to give the infant a chance to survive until rescuers located him.
Koah was immediately removed from the crate and transported to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.
The sheriff later confirmed that the baby was released from the hospital on Tuesday night.
Doctors expected him to make a full recovery.
He was placed in the care of family members.
HIS GRANDFATHER RECALLS THE MOMENT KOAH WAS FOUND
Koah’s grandfather, John Comer, later spoke about the emotional moment when his grandson was rescued.
He had opened his home to Michael and Koah after his son reportedly told him they needed somewhere to stay.
John said he had no idea what was going to happen.
When rescuers finally brought the baby out of the ground, his reaction was one of overwhelming relief.
He described raising his hands toward the sky, jumping with happiness and then falling to his knees in tears.
He also recalled that Koah stopped crying shortly after being rescued and was able to sit up.
John said he had never heard his grandson cry like that before.
He described Koah as a normally happy little boy who was always smiling.
His grandfather also expressed the belief that if he had not agreed to let Michael and the baby stay at his home, investigators might have had a much harder time discovering where the infant had been taken.
THE FATHER FACES ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES
Following the discovery, authorities announced additional criminal charges against Michael Comer, 25.
He is accused of attempted murder, burglary and unlawfully placing a child at risk, among other offenses reported in connection with the case.
Investigators have also raised concerns about his actions before and after Koah disappeared.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, the lead investigator told the court that Comer showed no remorse and had attempted to flee the state.
Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the alleged attack.
Court records also show that Comer had recently been placed on probation after pleading guilty to domestic violence-related offenses involving Koah’s mother.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and the alleged actions that led to the baby’s discovery.
The charges against Comer remain allegations and will be addressed through the criminal justice process.
JUDGE DENIES BOND AS INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
On Thursday, November 12, Michael Comer appeared before a magistrate in Lexington County.
During the hearing, investigators outlined concerns about the allegations and his reported actions following the baby’s disappearance.
The judge denied bond.
Comer remains in custody while the case proceeds. The court also approved the appointment of a public defender, with another hearing scheduled for December 10.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not disclosed a definitive motive.
A MIRACLE RESCUE — AND A LONG ROAD AHEAD
For nearly 24 hours, Koah’s family and dozens of emergency responders faced the terrifying possibility that the missing infant might never be found alive.
Instead, a small patch of disturbed earth and the sound of a baby’s cries led rescuers to him.
The towel surrounding the crate, the cooler overnight temperatures and the efforts of the search teams may all have played a role in his survival.
Koah has now been released from the hospital and is expected to recover fully.
Sheriff Jay Koon expressed hope that, as the little boy grows older, he will have few memories of the terrifying ordeal.
For now, his survival is the outcome his family and rescuers had desperately hoped for.
An 11-month-old child who disappeared for almost an entire day was found beneath the ground — alive.
And while the criminal investigation continues, one thing is certain: the sound of Koah crying beneath the earth is something those who found him will never forget.
