A heartbreaking story has come out of Alabama, where a young mother is accused of killing her one-year-old son, who is believed to be dead after being missing for several months. The child, named Kahleb Rowan Collins, was only reported missing a few weeks ago, making this case even more tragic and puzzling.
The mother, 22-year-old Wendy Pamela Bailey, was arrested on Monday. She now faces several serious charges, including aggravated child abuse, first-degree domestic violence, and abuse of a corpse. Authorities believe Kahleb is no longer alive, though his body has not yet been found.
As if this wasn’t devastating enough, Wendy is also being charged with criminally negligent homicide for the death of her two-year-old daughter, Ryleigh Collins. Little Ryleigh died in a car crash just one day before Kahleb was officially reported missing. The crash happened on County Road 73 in the Glen Allan community, near Fayette, Alabama.
According to officials, Ryleigh was in the backseat of the car without proper restraints. Her father, 40-year-old Steven Bradley Collins, was driving at a dangerous speed of 92 mph on a wet road, causing the crash. Wendy was a passenger in the car and was critically injured, requiring airlifting to UAB Hospital in Birmingham for treatment. Tragically, Ryleigh and her father both died at the scene.
After the crash, investigators discovered that Kahleb hadn’t been accounted for, sparking an immediate search for the missing boy. The investigation uncovered a grim reality: Kahleb had not been seen alive since September 9, well before anyone reported him missing. Authorities now believe the boy had been dead for some time before his disappearance came to light after the tragic accident.
As part of the investigation, John Bailey, Kahleb’s grandfather and legal guardian, was also arrested. He has been charged with failing to report a missing child, adding yet another layer of complexity to this deeply troubling case.
District Attorney Andy Hamlin praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies working on this difficult investigation, including the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, and Alabama State Troopers. He expressed his determination to bring justice for Kahleb and Ryleigh, describing the children as “innocent victims” of these terrible events.
Teams are still actively searching for Kahleb’s remains, but so far, they have not been recovered. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the case to come forward and help bring closure to this tragedy. If you know anything that could help, you’re encouraged to contact the authorities at 205-932-3205.
This case has left the community shaken, as people struggle to make sense of the tragic loss of these two young children. It’s a painful reminder of the importance of protecting and caring for the most vulnerable among us.
