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The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued an emergency missing
child alert Tuesday for Kahleb Collins. Law enforcement
officials used dogs to help search the family’s home and
property in Fayette County on Thursday, WBMA reported.
The child’s disappearance came to the attention of authorities
after a deadly Dec. 8 car crash that claimed the lives of his
father, Steven Bradley “Brad” Collins, as well as 2-year-old
sibling, Ryleigh Collins, and critically injured his mother,
Wendy Bailey. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office said Monday
they learned while investigating that the couple had another
child, the 1-year-old, who “was unaccounted for.”
Investigators made a public appeal for information about the
child. The state law enforcement agency said Tuesday that the
boy was last seen Sept. 4.
“This case has been the top priority of all agencies involved
since a vehicle crash brought his disappearance to our attention
11 days ago,” District Attorney Andrew Hamlin said in a
statement to news outlets.
He said they expect to be able to release more information in
the coming days. He asked people to be cautious about unverified
information about the case circulating on social media.
Court documents show the investigators believe the boy may have
been harmed.
Authorities charged the boy's grandfather, John Bailey, with
failing to report a missing child. Law enforcement officials
wrote in the complaint that no report was made “with willful and
reckless disregard for the safety of the child and the child
suffered serious bodily harm or death.”
James Standridge, a defense attorney representing Bailey, said
they are working to learn more information.
“All I can say is we are undergoing an investigation,"
Standridge said. “We expect to learn more.”
Court records associated with the case show that prosecutors are
seeking information from child welfare authorities on if there
were any complaints involving the family.
A Nov. 6 Facebook post by Brad Collins said his son was having
health issues and would need to have surgery at some point. He
asked that people keep the boy in their prayers and said the
family had a “long tough road ahead of us.” The Associated Press
could not verify who made the post.
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