The parents of a 5-year-old girl found dead in South Carolina have been arrested and charged in connection with her disappearance and subsequent death. John Herb Hayes III, 70, and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, 31, of Bristol, Virginia, are accused of misleading authorities during the search for their daughter, Saylor Hayes.
Saylor, who was autistic and nonverbal, went missing on Sunday after reportedly wandering away from a rental home in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Hundreds of volunteers and multiple agencies participated in an extensive search that concluded the following day when her body was discovered in waters near where she was last seen, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office.
The arrest warrants allege that the parents placed Saylor at an unreasonable risk of harm by failing to provide adequate supervision and safeguards for a child with her specific needs, including a known affinity for water and a history of elopement. The child had been equipped with a monitoring device, but the warrants state it was removed prior to the family leaving Virginia. Additionally, the parents are accused of directing search efforts away from a body of water near where they allegedly left Saylor unsupervised.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver stated that the investigation followed the evidence, leading to the parents' arrest under South Carolina law related to child endangerment or abandonment. "Saylor was a vulnerable five-year-old child who depended upon the adults responsible for her care and protection," Weaver said. "She deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected."
The couple was arrested in Carter County, Tennessee, and are awaiting extradition to Georgetown County to face charges. Online jail records indicate they remain in custody, and it is unclear if they have legal representation.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, where Saylor resided, confirmed the child had been enrolled in its Project Lifesaver program, which uses transmitters to help locate individuals at risk of wandering. Although the program's tracking technology was unable to locate Saylor, authorities confirmed the transmitter was found at her residence, indicating she was not wearing it when she disappeared. This detail, according to Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis, likely hindered search efforts that could have otherwise been aided by the technology.