An 11-month-old boy in South Carolina was rescued alive on Tuesday after authorities believe he spent roughly 24 hours buried underground in a dog crate. The infant, identified as Koah Sharpe, was discovered by a search team in a wooded area and is currently receiving medical care in a hospital.

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon announced the recovery during a news conference, describing the moment searchers located the child. “Certainly God is good. Just a few moments ago, we found little Koah, 11 months old, buried alive, clinging to life, crying — the most joyful sound you ever heard of a crying baby,” Koon said.

According to investigators, Koah was found inside a small wire dog crate measuring about two feet by two feet. The crate had been wrapped in a towel and placed in a shallow grave under roughly a foot of dirt. Officials believe the towel helped create an air pocket that allowed the baby to survive the extended period underground. The burial site was located approximately 50 yards into the woods near the home of the child’s paternal grandfather.

The baby had gone missing on Monday after being left in the care of his father, Michael Comer, 25, at his mother’s home while she ran a brief errand. When the child could not be located, a widespread search was launched. Comer was arrested later that same night on charges of burglary and resisting arrest. Authorities are working with prosecutors to determine additional charges related to the infant’s disappearance and burial.

Searchers discovered the site after noticing freshly disturbed earth and pine straw. When they began probing the area, they heard the baby crying. Crews quickly dug him out; Koon said the child was “screaming at the top of his lungs” once freed. Investigators estimate Koah had been underground for about 24 hours, based on the timeline of his father’s movements.

The infant was immediately transported to a hospital. Sheriff Koon expressed hope that Koah will make a full recovery and noted that, at his young age, he may not retain clear memories of the ordeal as he grows older.

The case remains under active investigation as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and the actions of his father.