Inset, top to bottom: Kahleb Rowan Collins (ALEA) and Wendy Pamela Bailey (Fayette County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Investigators searching for Kahleb (WBRC).
The remains of a missing Alabama toddler, who was suspected to be deceased last year, have been discovered in a “burn pile” located near his family’s residence. On Thursday, officials confirmed that the body of 1-year-old Kahleb Collins, missing for eight months, was found on the premises of his mother, Wendy Pamela Bailey, who is presently incarcerated on several felony charges.
Per a news release from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, authorities had carried out multiple searches of the vicinity before the burn pit was uncovered. Part of the pit seemed to contain human remains, prompting the involvement of an anthropologist who confirmed these remains belonged to a human child. The remains were subsequently sent to forensics for formal identification.
In a bizarre series of events, Kahleb was initially reported missing after a fatal car crash late last year that claimed the life of his father, Steven Collins, and 2-year-old sister, Ryleigh. The accident also left Bailey, who was a passenger in the vehicle, severely injured.
As previously reported, the fatal collision took place on Dec. 8, 2024, on County Road 73 in Glen Allan, Alabama. Collins was reportedly driving in an aggressive manner at speeds of over 90 mph on the wet road just prior to the crash. Ryleigh was not restrained in a car seat at the time of the collision, authorities said.
In the aftermath of the fatal accident, authorities were notified that Collins and Bailey had “another child that was unaccounted for,” later identified as Kahleb.
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Detectives immediately opened an investigation into the boy’s whereabouts, with the sheriff’s office also contacting the 24th Circuit District Attorney’s Office and the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation to assist in the search for the toddler.
“Based on the results of this investigation, it is believed that [Kahleb] is deceased,” a press release from the sheriff’s office stated. “His body has not been recovered, although law enforcement teams are still actively gathering information and searching for his remains. Investigators believe Kahleb had been deceased for some time before his disappearance was brought to the attention of law enforcement after the Dec. 8, single-vehicle crash that claimed the lives of his father, [Collins], and 2-year-old sister, [Ryleigh].”
Investigators soon discovered that Kahleb had not been seen alive since Sept. 9, 2024.
John Bailey, the toddler’s grandfather and legal custodian, was arrested on Dec. 11, 2024, and charged with one count of failure to report a missing child. Both he and Wendy Bailey were indicted by a grand jury last month on additional charges.
Wendy Bailey was indicted on four counts of first-degree domestic violence, criminally negligent homicide, aggravated child abuse, and abuse of a corpse. John Bailey is facing the same spate of charges plus an additional count of first-degree hindering prosecution.
“This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our thoughts and prayers are with all those who loved Kahleb,” Sheriff Byron Yerby said in a statement. “While this discovery brings a measure of closure, it is also a solemn reminder of the responsibility we all share in protecting our children. We are committed to continuing the pursuit of justice in this case.”
