Authorities in Alabama have arrested a woman after her 1-year-old son, Kahleb Collins, was declared presumed dead months after he disappeared.
Kahleb was last seen on September 4 in Winfield, Alabama, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)... Continue reading here ▶
His disappearance only came to light after a car crash on December 8 killed his father, Steven Bradley Collins, 40, and his 2-year-old sister, RyLeigh Collins.
The boy had not been reported missing before the crash, which also left his mother, Wendy Jean Bailey, 22, in critical condition.
On December 30, authorities announced charges against Wendy, including abuse of a corpse, aggravated child abuse, domestic violence, and criminally negligent homicide.
The homicide charge relates to the death of RyLeigh, who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Kahleb’s grandfather, John Elton Bailey, has also been arrested for allegedly failing to report the child’s disappearance.
Authorities believe Kahleb had been deceased for some time before the December crash, although his body has not been found. A search is underway to locate his remains.
Steven Collins had previously written on social media about Kahleb being sick, describing health issues that included back problems and a failure to grow properly.
Despite these posts, a neighbor claimed they never saw the child and only heard from the parents that he was unwell.
Investigators suspect that Kahleb “suffered serious bodily harm or death” and was taken to an unknown location. The child’s presumed death confirms what authorities had feared since learning of his disappearance.
Authorities have not released the official cause of death for Steven and RyLeigh, but a crash report indicated Steven was driving at twice the speed limit, and no one in the car was wearing seatbelts.
It is unclear if Wendy has entered a plea or has legal representation.
