An 11-month-old boy, Koah Sharpe, was rescued Tuesday afternoon after being taken by his father and subsequently buried alive in a dog crate in South Carolina. Authorities believe the infant spent approximately 24 hours buried before being discovered.

The urgent search for Koah and his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer, began Monday afternoon. Koah had been left in his father's care at his mother's home while she ran an errand. When another caregiver arrived, both father and son were gone.

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon described the harrowing discovery, stating the baby was found wrapped in a towel inside the crate, shallowly buried under dirt in the woods. "Crying the most joyful sound you ever heard of a crying baby," Sheriff Koon reported during a press briefing. "Certainly, God is good."

The baby is currently hospitalized and receiving care, with hopes for a full recovery. Sheriff Koon suggested the towel may have created an air pocket, contributing to Koah's survival. "Hopefully at 11 months old, he will not remember much of this as he grows older, just to have a great inspiring story to tell," Koon added.

Deputies located Michael Comer late Monday night in the Batesburg-Leesville area, but Koah was not with him. Comer was found in an outbuilding at a house and was initially uncooperative regarding the baby's whereabouts. He was arrested on charges of burglary and resisting arrest.

A search party of nearly 100 first responders was mobilized to find the infant. While searching near Comer's father's house on Tuesday afternoon, the group discovered freshly disturbed dirt approximately 50 yards into the woods. "As you imagine, the race was on, everybody's getting down there trying to get him out," Sheriff Koon recounted.

Authorities are working with the local solicitor's office to determine additional charges against Comer. "We want to thank everybody and just celebrate the fact today that an 11-month-old baby is alive," Sheriff Koon stated.

Further details surrounding the events leading up to the child's disappearance and burial are still under investigation. The Lexington County Sheriff's Department is leading the inquiry.