Fatal crash investigation unveils disappearance of 1-year-old missing since September

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - One person was arrested as authorities search for a missing infant, whose disappearance was discovered through an investigation into a fatal crash.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is searching for 1-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins, who was reported as “unaccounted for” following a crash involving the boy’s family.

Kahleb’s father, Steven Collins, and his 2-year-old sister Ryleigh were killed on Dec. 8 when their truck left the roadway and struck a tree, according to the sheriff’s office. The child’s mother, Wendi Bailey, was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.

The sheriff’s office said the following day they learned about the couple’s other child, Kahleb, and that he was not with his family at the time of the crash.

It was later discovered that the child had not been seen since September.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency was notified and issued an Emergency Missing Child Alert for Kahleb more than a week later on Dec. 17.

Kahleb’s grandfather, John Elton Bailey, was arrested on Dec. 11 in connection to the child’s disappearance. He has been charged with failure to report a missing child.

A family member reported that Bailey lived with his daughter and her family.

Court records indicate the Alabama Department of Human Resources was involved with the family, but the extent of their involvement is unclear.

According to a criminal complaint, Bailey didn’t report any physical injuries to the child or that the child had been removed from the house.

WBRC spoke with Kahleb’s uncle, Dwayne Collins, who is pleading for answers about his missing nephew.

“Please let me know where he’s at and if he’s okay, so we can find out what’s going on,” Collins said.

He said that has not spoken to his brother, Steven Collins, recently and only learned about Kahleb’s disappearance Sunday.

“The whole family ... we just don’t know,” he said. “Just please let us know where he’s at and bring him back to the family.”

Anyone with information on Kahleb’s whereabouts is urged to call the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office at 205-932-3205 or 911.