A nonverbal 5-year-old girl, Saylor Hayes, was found deceased in a South Carolina waterway on Monday morning, following an extensive search. Her body was discovered around 9:45 a.m. by agents with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in the water near where she was last seen.
Saylor, who was visiting from Virginia, had reportedly wandered away from her family’s vacation rental home in Hagley Estates, Pawleys Island, on Sunday. She was last seen wearing a light blue one-piece bathing suit and had a pink and white lanyard with a tracking device attached to her ankle. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office utilized Project Lifesaver equipment, including land-based and helicopter searches, in an attempt to locate the signal from the device. Project Lifesaver is designed to aid in the rapid rescue of individuals with cognitive conditions who are prone to wandering.
The search effort involved hundreds of people and multiple agencies, including drone operators, K-9 units, divers, and crews scanning nearby waterways. Volunteers from across the region joined the search, with some traveling significant distances. Some neighbors reported attempting to draw Saylor out by walking pets in the area and playing music from an ice cream truck.
Authorities have not yet released the cause of death. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to all who assisted in the search and extended condolences to Saylor’s family. Flowers have been placed near the boat landing where search crews were stationed as the community mourns the tragic loss.