The parents of 5-year-old Saylor Hayes have been arrested after their daughter was found dead in South Carolina following a massive search.
John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes were taken into custody Tuesday evening in Carter County, Tennessee, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.
Both were charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk or willfully abandoning a child in connection with Saylor’s disappearance and death.
The arrests came one day after the little girl’s body was discovered in the water near Hagley Landing.
Saylor had been reported missing Sunday, Aug. 30, after she wandered away from a rental home in Hagley Estates in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.
Authorities said Saylor had severe nonverbal autism and was known to wander, a behavior sometimes referred to as elopement. She also had a strong attraction to water.
According to arrest affidavits, Saylor had been equipped with a monitoring device since 2024.
However, investigators allege the tracking device was removed before the family left Virginia for South Carolina.
Authorities also allege that Saylor was left unsupervised within roughly 15 meters, or about 50 feet, of a body of water.
Her disappearance triggered an enormous search effort involving hundreds of people and multiple agencies.
Search teams canvassed the neighborhood, used drones and sent divers to check nearby docks and waterways.
Investigators also used Project Lifesaver equipment in an effort to detect a signal from Saylor’s transponder.
But according to the arrest documents, Saylor’s parents allegedly encouraged rescuers to continue using the tracking equipment even though they knew she was not wearing the device.
On Monday, Aug. 31, agents with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources found Saylor’s body in the water near the area where she had last been seen.
The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office said hundreds of residents helped search their own properties and nearby areas while others kept watch over local docks.
The agency thanked the community and offered its condolences to Saylor’s family.
But investigators continued looking into the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance.
Sheriff Carter Weaver said Tuesday that the evidence ultimately led authorities to Saylor’s parents.
“From the beginning, our responsibility has been to follow the evidence wherever it led,” Weaver said.
He said the arrests were based on evidence uncovered during an extensive investigation, while emphasizing that the charges themselves do not establish guilt.
“Parents and caregivers have a fundamental responsibility to protect children who cannot protect themselves,” Weaver said.
He described Saylor as a “vulnerable five-year-old child” who depended on the adults around her for safety.
“She deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected,” the sheriff said.
Weaver also acknowledged the emotional toll the case has taken on the community and everyone involved in the search.
“Nothing we do can bring Saylor back,” he said. “What we can do is pursue the truth, seek accountability through our justice system, and continue doing everything within our authority to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Once extradition proceedings are completed, John and Geordyn Hayes are expected to be transported back to Georgetown County, South Carolina, to face the charges.
“DON’T KILL YOUR CHILDREN”
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