Devastating Turn In Case Of Missing 1-Year-Old Baby Revealed After Deadly Car Crash

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

This isn’t what any of us wanted to hear…

As we previously reported, 1-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins became the subject of national headlines when he mysteriously disappeared. He was only reported missing after a reckless car crash claimed the lives of his father, Steven Bradley Collins, and his 2-year-old sister, Ryleigh. His mom, 22-year-old Wendy Bailey, survived the crash and was taken to the hospital to be treated for her injuries. Cops quickly realized the family had another child, and what raised eyebrows was that the child was nowhere to be found in the vehicle. In fact, no one had seen the baby for nearly THREE MONTHS at the time of the collision.

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His grandfather, John Elton Bailey, was taken into custody by Alabama police after it was alleged he failed to report the child missing. Investigators also uncovered a harrowing Facebook post from Kahleb’s father in which he claimed the boy was sick — two months after he supposedly went missing. Nothing was adding up.

Now, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed what we all feared. In a statement this week, investigators revealed Kahleb has passed away. So sad.

Law enforcement announced on Monday that they believe the 1-year-old has been deceased for several months now, but his body has not yet been recovered.

In a domestic violence filing obtained by WVTM 13 on Tuesday, prosecutors alleged some disturbing text messages sent by Kahleb’s father to Wendy, which seem to detail violence against the boy. The filing noted:

“After being notified by Steven Collins via message that he was going to kill Kahleb Collins followed by photographs of Kahleb Collins hanging aloft with a rope with blood present on his body and a photo of Kahleb Collins lying supine on the floor with extreme bruising present on his body.”

Gut-wrenching…

The mother’s response is even more chilling, as the back-and-forth between the parents seemed so casual:

“[There were more messages from the father] that stated ‘he want (sic) move’ ‘Im so sorry.’ Steven then sent ‘he moving.’ Wendy Bailey acknowledged the photograph and replied ‘he just looks wore out and tired and hurt hopefully that’s all’.”

Prosecutors argued that the young mother admitted to failing “to intervene on more than two occasions that Khaleb Rowan Collins was physically abused by torturous means such as being bound with rope, physically assaulted, and being bound by a rope from a loft with blood and bruising present.”

In a corpse abuse complaint obtained by the outlet, prosecutors claimed Wendy stated that “upon the death of Kahleb Rowan Collins his body was placed into a bag and stored in an outside storage building for a brief period prior to disposal at an unknown location.” Jeez.

Bailey has been slapped with felony charges of aggravated child abuse, first-degree domestic violence, and abuse of a corpse. She also was given a misdemeanor charge of criminally negligent homicide — this charge being in relation to her other child Ryleigh’s death in the car accident. The 22-year-old could possibly face more charges as the case develops.

The mom of two has been booked into the Fayette County Jail and is currently awaiting a bond hearing; however, an Alabama law known as Aniah’s Law may lead to her request being denied. There is also an ongoing search to uncover the infant’s remains.

Such an awful situation. May these two little ones rest in peace and get the justice they deserve.

Anyone with information is asked to contact them at 205-932-3205, the State Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-392-8011, or the District Attorney’s Office at 205-367-9915.

If you have sincere cause to suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. 

[Image via Fayette County Sheriff’s Office/Alabama Law Enforcement Agency]