The search for a missing five-year-old girl in South Carolina concluded tragically on Monday morning with the recovery of her body. Saylor Hayes, who was visiting from Virginia, was found deceased near a rental home in the Hagley Community.
Deputies, K-9 units, and boats had conducted an overnight search for Hayes after she reportedly wandered away from the family's rental home along Old Waccamaw Drive on Sunday. The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, Georgetown County Emergency Management, and hundreds of residents participated in the search efforts.
Agents with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources located Saylor's body at approximately 9:45 a.m. on Monday. She was found in the water near the location where she was last seen, wearing a one-piece light blue bathing suit and a pink-and-white lanyard around her ankle.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver had stated on Sunday that the search would continue until the child was found. The sheriff's office had also utilized Project Lifesaver, a tracking technology intended for individuals who may wander, though a signal had not been received for Hayes as of Sunday. A reverse 911 call was issued to nearby homes, prompting neighbors to join the search.
The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office confirmed that an autopsy will be conducted by the coroner. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Saylor Hayes' death is ongoing, and further details were not immediately available.