The 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office has released details in the case involving a missing toddler from Fayette County, confirming that the child is presumed dead and that his mother, Wendy Pamela Bailey, faces multiple felony charges.
Bailey, 23, has been charged with aggravated child abuse, first-degree domestic violence, abuse of a corpse, and criminally negligent homicide. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning at the Fayette County Courthouse, where a judge will determine whether the case moves forward to a grand jury.
Investigators believe Bailey’s son, one-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins, has been deceased since September, although his body has not been recovered. According to court filings, Bailey reportedly admitted to storing Kahleb’s remains in a storage building before they were later disposed of at an unknown location. Law enforcement continues to search for his remains.
Further details from court records allege a pattern of severe physical abuse toward Kahleb, including incidents where Bailey failed to intervene. Prosecutors claim she was aware of the mistreatment and did not act to protect the child, contributing to the aggravated child abuse and domestic violence charges.
The case came to light following a fatal car crash on December 8 in the Glen Allen community. The crash killed Kahleb’s father, 40-year-old Steven Bradley Collins, and his two-year-old sister, Ryleigh Collins. Bailey was also in the vehicle and sustained critical injuries. Authorities determined that Ryleigh was not secured in a car seat, which led to an additional criminally negligent homicide charge against Bailey.
According to the district attorney’s office, the investigation has been especially complex due to the involvement of multiple child fatalities and disturbing circumstances surrounding the case. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Bureau of Investigation, and Alabama State Troopers continue working jointly to uncover more information.
Officials have stated that the investigation remains active and that additional charges may be filed as more evidence is gathered.
Anyone with information that may assist in the case is encouraged to contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office at 205-932-3205, the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-392-8011, or the District Attorney’s Office at 205-367-9915.
