Virginia sheriff says missing girl's transmitter was not on her at time of death
Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis said the 5-year-old Saylor Hayes was not wearing her Project Lifesaver transmitter when she disappeared near Pawleys Island, and authorities recovered her body on Monday.
Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis said the 5-year-old nonverbal girl, Saylor Hayes, who vanished from her family’s rental home near Pawleys Island on Sunday, was not wearing the Project Lifesaver transmitter at the time of her disappearance. The Hayes family, residents of the Bristol area, had enrolled the child in the voluntary program in June 2024, which uses a small radio-frequency transmitter to help locate individuals with cognitive or other special-needs conditions.
Andis explained that the transmitter was found inside a vehicle on the family’s property in Virginia, indicating it had been removed. “It is important to understand that Project Lifesaver is a voluntary program,” he said. “A parent, guardian, or caregiver is responsible for ensuring the transmitter remains properly secured to the client. The transmitter is attached using a specialized band designed for continuous wear. It cannot simply be unclasped or removed by the client; the band must be physically cut in order to remove the transmitter.”
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver noted that a helicopter equipped with Project Lifesaver technology was deployed during the search, but officials could not obtain a signal from Hayes on Sunday evening. Andis added that, had the transmitter been on the child, deputies likely would have located her more quickly.
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources agents recovered Hayes’ body around 9:45 a.m. on Monday in nearby waters. Georgetown County Coroner Chase Ridgeway reported no visible signs of trauma and said the cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending an autopsy scheduled for Friday at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The search involved multiple agencies, including drones, K-9 units, divers, and a Charleston County Sheriff’s Office helicopter with Project Lifesaver equipment, as well as assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the U.S. Coast Guard, and local residents.