5-year-old found dead in water — parents arrested
5-year-old Saylor Hayes, a nonverbal child with autism, disappeared from a vacation home in South Carolina and was found the next day without signs of life in nearby water. Her parents have been arrested, as investigators claim they left her unsupervised near the water and went on vacation without the child's tracking device.
The parents of a 5-year-old girl found dead after extensive searches in South Carolina have been arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and failure to supervise. 70-year-old John Herb Hayes III and 31-year-old Jordyn Nicole Hayes were arrested on Tuesday evening in Carter County, Tennessee, and are expected to be extradited back to Georgetown County.
Their daughter, Saylor Hayes, was with her family on vacation in the Pawleys Island area. On Sunday afternoon, it was reported that she had wandered away from the vacation home, triggering a large-scale search operation involving police, firefighters, volunteers, search dogs, drones, helicopters, and divers.
Saylor was diagnosed with autism and was nonverbal. According to authorities, she had a known tendency to wander away from caregivers and a special attraction to water. The arrest warrants allege that she was left unsupervised just 15 meters from a water source, despite her parents being well aware of her behavioral patterns.
Since June 2024, Saylor had been enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program, which provides a small transmitter for individuals prone to wandering. After Saylor disappeared, authorities attempted to track the device via helicopter but failed to pick up a signal. It later emerged that the device was not on the child.
The sheriff of Washington County, Virginia, where the family resides, stated that his officers found the device inside a car at the family property in Bristol—hundreds of kilometers from the search site. According to investigative documents, the transmitter was removed before the family even left Virginia.
Investigators allege that the parents knew the transmitter was not on their daughter, yet recommended that police use the Project Lifesaver system to locate her. Furthermore, they reportedly attempted to direct search efforts away from the nearby water.
The search continued throughout the night. On Monday around 09:45, Saylor's body was found in the water in the area where she was last seen. Initial reports indicate no signs of external trauma. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.
Shortly before her arrest, the mother posted a farewell message to her daughter on social media, calling her "mommy's little angel." Hours later, she and her husband were arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and intentional abandonment.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver emphasized that the filing of charges is not a determination of guilt and that the presumption of innocence applies. However, he added:
"Saylor was a vulnerable 5-year-old child who depended on the adults who were responsible for caring for her and protecting her. She deserved to be safe."
