‘Certainly God is good’: 11-month-old US baby found alive after being buried in dog crate for 24 hours

An 11-month-old boy who went missing after being left in his father's care was found buried alive inside a dog crate in South Carolina, US, following an extensive search. His father has been arrested.

The baby, identified as Koah Sharpe, was discovered on Tuesday afternoon, apparently after spending nearly 24 hours underground. He was found "clinging to life", Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said.

"Certainly God is good. Just a few moments ago, we found little Koah, 11 months old, buried alive, clinging to life, crying – the most joyful sound you ever heard of a crying baby," Koon told a news conference.

Koah went missing on Monday after his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer, was left looking after him at the child's mother's home while she went out on an errand. Authorities launched a large-scale search after the baby was reported missing, with around 100 people joining the effort.

The search team eventually spotted freshly disturbed soil in a wooded area about 50 yards from Comer's father's house. As rescuers began digging, they heard the baby crying.

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The infant had been placed inside a dog crate wrapped in a towel and buried under the soil. Koon said the towel had "by the grace of God, probably provided enough air for [Koah] to survive by our estimation, the last 24 hours under that dirt".

Comer was arrested on Monday night on suspicion of burglary. The sheriff's department is working with prosecutors to determine whether additional charges will be filed.

Koah was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover, Koon said.

"We want to thank everybody and celebrate the fact that today an 11-month-old baby is alive," the sheriff added.