Mother charged in death of 1-year-old Kahleb Collins set for first court appearance Wednesday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The mother of a 1-year-old child believed to be dead who went missing seven months ago in Fayette County will have her first court appearance this week.

Wendy Pamela Bailey, 23, will face a judge during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in order to determine if there is enough evidence in the case to hand over to a grand jury. Bailey is charged with aggravated child abuse, first-degree domestic violence, abuse of a corpse and criminally negligent homicide.

Bailey’s son, Kahleb Collins, was last seen Sept. 9, but his whereabouts were not public knowledge until months later, when his father, Steven Bailey, and his 2-year-old sister, Ryleigh, were killed in a car accident in Fayette County on Dec. 9. Wendy was in the car as well and was taken to UAB Hospital.

After a lengthy investigation, Bailey was arrested on Dec. 30 and charged in Kahleb’s death.

In court documents, prosecutors argued that Kahleb, who was allegedly the victim of abuse at the hands of his father, was disposed of by Bailey in a plastic bag. As of Monday, Kahleb has yet to be found.

Bailey is also charged with not fastening her daughter, Ryleigh, into her car seat prior to the crash that killed her.

The hearing is set for 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Fayette County Courthouse.