Wendy Pamela Jean Bailey pleaded guilty to first-degree domestic violence and aggravated child abuse involving a child younger than 6
Credit: Fayette County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- Steven Collins, Wendy Bailey and their daughter RyLeigh were involved in a car crash in December 2024
- The crash, which killed Steven and RyLeigh, revealed that the couple’s 1-year-old son, Kahleb, had been missing for months after suffering abuse from Steven
- In July 2026, Bailey pleaded guilty to domestic violence and child abuse and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences
Wendy Pamela Jean Bailey, mother of Kahleb Collins, has been sentenced following her conviction in connection with the abuse of her 1-year-old son.
Bailey, 24, was accused of knowing about the abuse that the child’s father, Steven Collins, inflicted on their son Kahleb and not intervening or reporting it, prosecutors alleged. She pleaded guilty to first-degree domestic violence and aggravated child abuse involving a child younger than 6.
She was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Andy Hamlin announced on July 10.
“This was a deeply upsetting case for our community. People were horrified by what happened to Kahleb, and many have followed this case closely from the beginning,” Hamlin said.
“Based on the evidence and the timeline that was established, Steven Collins carried out unthinkable acts against this child that we believe ultimately led to his death. Wendy Bailey was aware of the abuse and did nothing to stop it or report it,” Hamlin said.
Her attorney, Stuart D. Albea, said in a statement that “Wendy accepted responsibility today because she believes that’s what accountability requires.”
“This case also cannot be understood without acknowledging the abuse she endured herself at the hands of Steven Collins — but that context doesn’t erase what happened to Kahleb, and she has never suggested it should,” Albea said, per ABC 3340. “Our thoughts are with everyone who loved this child.”
PEOPLE reached out to Albea for comment.
Credit: Alabama Law Enforcement
Bailey’s sentencing comes amid the investigation into the missing persons case of Kahleb, who was last seen in September 2024 in Winfield, Ala.
Authorities were made aware of the missing toddler after his 2-year-old sister, RyLeigh, and their father, Steven, died in a car crash on Dec. 8, 2024. Bailey was also in the accident and sustained critical injuries.
It was discovered that Kahleb had been missing for three months; however, Steven documented on social media that Kahleb was sick in November 2024, PEOPLE previously reported.
The extensive investigation into the missing boy led police to unearth gruesome details of the alleged abuse the boy suffered, authorities said. Investigators said that on at least one occasion, Kahleb was photographed “hanging from a loft with a rope,” in charging documents, PEOPLE previously reported.
Investigators discovered burn piles on family property, and an anthropologist confirmed there were human remains in the burn piles, WBRC previously reported.
Hamlin said in the July 10 statement that the investigation included examining debris from burn piles on the property and searches of multiple electronic devices. He said the investigators uncovered “messages, photographs, and other evidence documenting severe abuse perpetrated by Steven Collins.” Hamlin confirmed authorities believe Kahleb died between September and December 2024.
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If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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