An urgent search for a missing infant in South Carolina ended with a discovery that stunned authorities.
An 11-month-old boy disappeared on Monday after being left in his father’s care while another caregiver was expected to arrive. When the caregiver showed up, both the father and the child were gone.
Authorities were notified, and investigators began searching for the missing baby. During the investigation, officers located the father later that evening, hiding inside an outbuilding. He was taken into custody, but the child was nowhere to be found.
The search continued into Tuesday, with nearly 100 law enforcement officers and emergency personnel involved.
Then, searchers noticed something unusual in a wooded area: a patch of freshly disturbed earth.
As officers began digging, they heard a faint sound coming from beneath the ground.
It was the baby crying.
Investigators discovered the infant inside a dog crate wrapped in a towel and buried beneath the soil. According to the sheriff, the child had apparently been underground for approximately 24 hours.
The baby was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Authorities later confirmed that he had been released and was expected to recover.
The father was charged with attempted murder, unlawful conduct toward a child, custodial interference and burglary, according to authorities. The investigation remains subject to the legal process, and the allegations have yet to be decided in court.
What began as a missing-child investigation ended in a rescue that authorities described as extraordinary.