Fayette County, Ala. (WDNews) – Authorities have announced that 1-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins, who has been unaccounted for since September, is presumed dead. His mother, Wendy Bailey, is now facing multiple felony charges following a tragic car crash earlier this month that claimed the lives of her partner and daughter.
The crash occurred on December 8 when 40-year-old Steven Collins crashed his Toyota Tacoma into a tree at high speed. He and his 2-year-old daughter, Ryleigh, were killed instantly. Bailey, 22, survived the wreck but sustained critical injuries.
During the investigation, police discovered that Kahleb was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash and had been missing since September. Efforts to locate the infant led to the December 11 arrest of John Elton Bailey, 55, the children’s grandfather, who was charged with failing to report a missing person.
On December 30, District Attorney Andy Hamlin announced new developments. Wendy Bailey has been charged with aggravated child abuse, first-degree domestic violence, abuse of a corpse, and criminally negligent homicide. Authorities allege Bailey played a role in Kahleb’s disappearance and is also responsible for Ryleigh’s death for failing to ensure the child was properly restrained in the vehicle.
Kahleb’s body has not been recovered, but investigators believe he has been dead for months. Hamlin stated that the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and other agencies will continue their efforts to resolve this heartbreaking case.
Bailey is being held in the Fayette County Jail, and prosecutors are requesting she be denied bond under Aniah’s Law. The charges against her include three Class A felonies and one Class C felony.
“This case has been especially difficult due to the tragic loss of two young children,” Hamlin said, commending the agencies involved in the investigation.
This remains an active case, and further updates will follow as more information becomes available.
