Dad posted a Facebook status about his son’s illness before he died in a car accident. Police say son has been missing for months

Authorities in Alma are searching for a 1-year-old boy whose months-long disappearance only came to light after members of his family were killed in a car crash.

Kahleb Rowan Collins, 1, was last seen on September 4 in Winfield, Alabama, according to an alert from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

Law enforcement was unaware of her disappearance until her parents and 2-year-old sister were involved in a fatal crash Dec. 8 near Glen Allen, about 70 miles northwest of Birmingham, the police said. Fayette County Sheriff’s Office in a press release. .

The child’s father, Steven Bradley Collins, 40, and his sister RyLeigh Collins, 2, were killed in the crash, according to the sheriff’s office. Wendy Jean Bailey, identified as the children’s mother, was hospitalized and remains in critical condition.

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the children’s grandfather, John Elton Bailey, was arrested and charged with failure to report Kahleb missing, the sheriff’s office confirms to PEOPLE.

According to a criminal complaint reviewed by WBMA and AL.com, the missing child “suffered serious injury or death.” He was reportedly “taken from his home and taken to an unknown location,” the media report.

The child’s father was allegedly driving in the rain at twice the speed limit when the crash occurred, WBMA, AL.com and WBRC reported, citing a Uniform Traffic Crash Report in Alabama.

Apparently, none of the occupants were wearing seat belts. A passenger was ejected from the car, according to the report.

Police quickly realized that the family’s 1-year-old child was not in the car at all, prompting a search. On Monday, December 18, ALEA confirmed that the child had not been seen for over three months and asked for the public’s help in locating him.

A neighbor of the family told WWMT that he knew the couple had a son, but had never seen him. A few months ago, the parents reportedly told the neighbor that the child was sick and had been sent to a relative’s house.

In a Facebook post on November 6, Steven said his son was not feeling well and had “a long, difficult road ahead” of recovery.

“He is not growing and has major back problems. His organs grow but his body does not. He will have to have surgery at some point,” Steven wrote.

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In an obituary for RyLeigh, she was remembered as a “loving, happy baby” who loved fishing with her family and watching Paw Patrol, and loved Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

“RyLeigh brought so much joy to her family. She will always be remembered and cherished,” the obituary read.

It was not immediately clear whether John, the children’s grandfather, had pleaded guilty or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

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