Buried alive: 911 call reveals fear, panic of family members notifying authorities of missing baby

LEXINGTON, S.C. (WRDW/Gray News) - A newly released 911 call captures the panic and confusion as a grandmother reported her grandbaby had gone missing along with his father, who had been making threats about possibly taking his son.

Michael Comer, 25, was charged with attempted murder this week after authorities said he buried his 11-month-old son Koah alive in a dog crate, with the child miraculously surviving.

Comer had vanished earlier in the week with Koah, according to family members.

“My son was supposed to be watching his son today,” the boy’s grandmother could be heard telling the dispatcher. “He don’t have custody. The mother has custody. And I was supposed to take the baby home tonight.”

She explained that Comer had recently been released from jail and was on probation, and that he had been making disturbing statements.

“He kept making comments that he’s going to take off to New York, which he cannot because he’s on probation,” she said. “He just got out of jail last month. And we have not been able to get a hold of him all day.”

The grandmother said in the call that she had left work after relatives couldn’t reach Comer and they were growing concerned he hadn’t come home the previous night.

Koah was found alive Tuesday afternoon just over 24 hours after he was last seen with Comer.

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Koah was found buried in a dog crate wrapped in a towel at Comer’s father’s house. Investigators noted finding a pine straw and “freshly disturbed dirt.” Once they started digging, they heard the boy crying.

“So, as you imagine, the race was on,” Koon said. “Everybody’s getting down there trying to get him out. By the grace of God, [it] probably provided enough air for him to survive an estimated 24 hours under that dirt.”

Comer appeared in court Thursday in Lexington County, where a judge refused to set bond on the most serious charges.

Although news cameras were in the courtroom, Comer was hidden from view, behind a door that the judge could see beyond but others in the courtroom could not.

Prosecutors said that even after Comer was told Koah was found alive, he showed no remorse. They also told the judge that Comer did nothing to help investigators during the search.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 10.