Father charged with attempted murder after South Carolina infant survives being buried alive
Michael Comer, 25, has been charged with attempted murder after his 11-month-old son, Koah Sharp, disappeared in South Carolina and was allegedly buried alive in a dog crate. Search teams found the infant after about 24 hours in freshly disturbed soil on a neighbour’s property, following cries from underground. Koah was covered in dirt but alive; he was taken to hospital and released on Tuesday night, with sheriff Jay Koon saying he is expected to make a full recovery.
Authorities said Koah had been in the care of Comer’s mother, who left him with her son while she ran an errand. When another caregiver arrived, both Michael Comer and the child were gone. Surveillance footage later showed Comer travelling without the baby. He was arrested while hiding in a building in Batesburg-Leesville, and a court hearing was scheduled for Thursday. Authorities have not disclosed a motive, though relatives said Comer had spoken about taking Koah to New York because he did not want to remain in the same state as the child’s mother.
The sheriff said cool temperatures and an air pocket formed by a towel wrapped around the crate may have helped Koah survive. His grandfather, John Comer, said the boy stopped crying soon after being rescued and described the moment as both joyful and overwhelming. Michael Comer had been staying at his father’s home after asking for somewhere to live. He was sentenced to probation in October after pleading guilty to domestic violence and aggravated breach-of-peace charges connected to a July arrest.
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