Michael Comer, 25, allegedly sent threatening texts to Koah Sharpe’s mother before burying the 11-month-old alive in a dog crate.
The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department found Koah on Tuesday, November 10, inside a wire crate wrapped in a towel and buried under freshly disturbed soil behind the home of Michael’s father. Rescuers heard the baby crying as they dug, roughly 24 hours after the search began with around 100 first responders. Sheriff Koon said the towel likely created an air pocket that kept Koah alive underground.
Michael had already been arrested the night before Koah’s discovery on suspicion of burglary and resisting arrest. The child was supposed to be in his care, but when another caregiver arrived at the home, nobody was there. Patricia Comer, the baby’s grandmother, had been looking after Koah before leaving for work that day. She became concerned, left her job, returned home, and reported the baby missing on Monday.
Koah’s mother last saw her son on Friday and expected him back within a day or two. The night before Michael vanished with the baby, he allegedly threatened her multiple times that he would keep Koah and police would have to find him.
According to a Law&Crime Network report on YouTube, Michael texted Koah’s mother about his mental health and told her she would have to call police to get her baby back. He reportedly referenced wanting to kill himself and plans to travel to New York.
“Wait till January, it’ll be easier for you to trust me,” he allegedly wrote.
He also apparently told her she’d “have one less kid to worry about.”
The mother of two has since spoken about the warnings she noticed before the incident, though police have not confirmed details about prior jail time or ongoing conflicts between the parents over OnlyFans and social media followers that have been claimed in reports.
Koah was taken to a hospital after his rescue and has since been returned to family care. Michael now faces charges of attempted murder, burglary, and unlawfully placing a child at risk.