What began as a search for a missing infant following a tragic car crash has evolved into a more complex investigation spanning several months, as authorities revealed Wednesday that 1-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins had actually been missing since September.
The case came to light after a devastating single-vehicle accident on December 8 in Glen Allen, Fayette County, where a 2020 Toyota Tacoma driven by Steven Collins, 40, struck a tree at high speed. The crash claimed the lives of Collins and his 2-year-old daughter Raleigh, while critically injuring the children’s mother, 22-year-old Wendy Bailey. None of the occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident.
The investigation took an unexpected turn when law enforcement learned of another child, Kahleb Collins, who was unaccounted for. Initially believed to be connected to the crash, authorities now say the infant has been missing for months. This revelation led to the arrest of the child’s grandfather and custodian, John Elton Bailey, 55, who faces charges of failing to report a missing child.
Criminal complaint documents suggest potentially dire circumstances, indicating the possibility that the child may have been harmed or abducted from their Winfield home, located approximately 75 miles northwest of Birmingham near the Mississippi border. Bailey remains in Fayette County jail on a $100,000 bond, with a court appearance scheduled for January 8.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has issued an emergency missing child alert for Kahleb, described as a white male toddler standing 2 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing 35 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate the case while encouraging anyone with information to contact emergency services or their office directly at 205-932-3205.
The current condition of Wendy Bailey, who survived the crash and remains hospitalized, is unknown as authorities continue their search for her missing son.
