‘She asked the cops, ‘where is my grandson?’: Family members of Fayette Co. 1-year-old describe learning he was missing
Some family members of missing 1-year-old Kahleb Collins say they are frustrated with the length of time that passed before an alert was put out for the child.
FAYETTE COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - An emergency missing child alert remained in effect Friday as Fayette Co. law enforcement continue to search for answers in the disappearance of 1-year-old Kahleb Collins.
The Fayette Co. Sheriff’s Office has not released any information to the public since Monday, though according to the alert, which went out the following day, the child has not been seen since September.
Kahleb’s grandfather, John Elton Bailey, remains jailed for failure to report a missing child, the only charge Bailey is currently facing according to court records.
Law enforcement has searched the family’s Winfield home several times throughout the week, though they had seemingly not returned to the property Friday.
Kahleb’s disappearance was brought to light after his family was involved in a wreck that killed his father and two-year-old sister. His mother is still in the hospital with critical injuries.
Several of Kahleb’s family members, including his grandmother, live out of state. One family member described to WBRC the moment they realized the child was missing.
“When she found out that he was not in the truck, she asked the cops ‘where is my grandson then? They didn’t even know,” said Katherine Chaplin, Kahleb’s great aunt. “She did not know he was missing until later on when the grandfather said that he was staying with a family friend, and had been for two months.”
Chaplin says she along with other family members are frustrated with the length of time that passed before an alert was put out for the child.
“It’s no different than some kid being snatched up in the street. He was reported missing by my sister, by his grandmother, but yet, they waited a week,” Chaplin said.
WBRC’s efforts to reach the sheriff throughout the week were not successful.
Family members say they brought Kahleb’s sister back to Louisiana and buried her there. They continue to urge anyone with information about Kahleb to call 911.
Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Copyright 2024 WBRC. All rights reserved.
