Alabama Boy Found Dead After New Year’s Eve Search, Father Charged

Search Ends in Tragedy

Blount County, Alabama—When 4-year-old Liam “Bubba” McKay slipped out of sight on New Year’s Eve, his mother believed he had wandered toward the woods behind their trailer. For four days, volunteers on foot, horseback, and ATV scoured the hills while dive teams dragged the Locust Fork River. On Friday morning, a cadaver dog caught a scent near a hollow oak less than 200 yards from the family’s porch. The boy’s body was found wrapped in a blue child’s blanket, partially covered by leaves.

Charges Filed Within Hours

By sunset, sheriff’s deputies had arrested Liam’s father, 28-year-old Caleb McKay. Court documents show he is charged with manufacturing a destructive device and aggravated child endangerment—counts that raised eyebrows across this tight-knit farming community of barely 2,300 residents.

“Right now, our focus is on how that little boy died,” Sheriff Mark Groom said at an evening press conference. “We owe the family and this community every honest answer we can find.”

Neighbors Recall Troubling Signs

Those who live along County Road 47 describe a history of disturbances at the McKay residence: late-night explosions that rattled windows, a backyard shed padlocked with industrial chain, and, more than once, Liam walking barefoot near the highway.

• A neighbor’s security camera captured a flash at 11:07 p.m. on 31 December, minutes after the child was reportedly last seen.
• Local hardware store records show Caleb purchased fertilizer, stump remover, and PVC piping on 27 December.
• Child-welfare officers had visited the home twice since October, according to state logs obtained by this outlet.

‘He Loved Dinosaurs and Chocolate Milk’

At a candlelight vigil Friday night, Liam’s kindergarten teacher held a drawing he made of aTyrannosaurus wearing a party hat. “He told me T-Rexes were just big softies,” she said, voice cracking. The boy’s maternal grandmother clutched his favorite stuffed giraffe, tears streaming as the crowd sang “Amazing Grace.”

What Happens Next

Caleb McKay is being held on $750,000 bond. Prosecutors say additional charges are likely pending autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. A preliminary hearing is slated for 18 January.

If convicted on the destructive-device count alone, McKay faces up to ten years in prison—though legal analysts caution that proving intent in cases involving homemade explosives can be complex.

A Community Left to Heal

Meanwhile, the town that rang in 2024 with fireworks now plans a balloon release at the local football field. The school district has mobilized grief counselors for students returning from winter break. And on every porch along County Road 47, porch lights will stay on at night—an unspoken promise that no other child will vanish into the dark.