Alabama authorities are currently searching for a 1-year-old boy, Kahleb Rowan Collins, whose disappearance came to public attention after a tragic car accident took the lives of his family members. Kahleb was last seen on September 4 in Winfield, Alabama.
The situation unfolded on December 8 when his father, Steven Bradley Collins, 40, and his 2-year-old sister, RyLeigh, were killed in a car crash near Glen Allen, located about 70 miles northwest of Birmingham. The mother, Wendy Jean Bailey, was seriously injured and is still in critical condition.
It wasn’t until after the accident that officials learned of Kahleb’s absence. On December 11, the children’s grandfather, John Elton Bailey, was arrested for failing to report the child missing.
Reports suggest that Kahleb may have “suffered serious bodily harm or death” and is believed to have been taken from the family home to an unknown location. It’s claimed that his father was driving recklessly at high speeds during a rainstorm when the accident occurred, and none of the occupants in the vehicle were wearing seatbelts.
After the crash, law enforcement began looking for Kahleb, discovering that he had not been seen for over three months. A neighbor mentioned that while they knew the couple had a son, they had never seen him. The parents had previously informed the neighbor that he was sick and staying with a relative.
In a Facebook post from November, Steven shared that Kahleb had health issues and needed surgery, describing his son’s struggles.
The community is urged to assist in finding the missing child as details surrounding his disappearance continue to unfold. It is unclear if John Bailey has made a plea or has sought legal representation regarding the charges against him.