South Carolina parents arrested after 5-year-old's death near Pawleys Island
John Hayes III and Geordyn Hayes were charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk after their 5-year-old daughter, Saylor Hayes, was found dead in water near Pawleys Island. The case involves alleged removal of a Project Lifesaver tracking device and misleading search efforts.
South Carolina authorities arrested John Herb Hayes III, 70, and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, 31, on charges of unlawfully placing a child at risk and willful abandonment after the body of their 5-year-old daughter, Saylor Hayes, was recovered in the waters near Hagley Landing on Pawleys Island. The arrests were made in Carter County, Tennessee, and the couple will be extradited to Georgetown County.
Saylor, who had autism and was described as "severely nonverbal" with a known affinity for water, was enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program, which uses a wearable transmitter to help locate individuals with cognitive impairments. According to the arrest warrants, the device had been removed before the family left for vacation, and the parents allegedly directed search teams away from the water despite knowing the transmitter was not on the child.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver said, "> The death of Saylor Hayes is a heartbreaking tragedy that has deeply affected our community and everyone who worked so hard to find her. > From the beginning, our responsibility has been to follow the evidence wherever it led. > Parents and caregivers have a fundamental responsibility to protect children who cannot protect themselves. > These arrests are based upon the evidence developed during this investigation and the applicable law. They should not be interpreted as a determination of guilt."
Virginia authorities confirmed Saylor was a resident of Washington County and had been part of their Project Lifesaver program since June 2024. Sheriff Blake Andis noted that the transmitter was not on Saylor when she went missing and that the device, when worn, could have aided the search. He added that the sheriff’s office will continue cooperating with South Carolina investigators, but further details about the transmitter’s removal will not be released.
The case now proceeds through the judicial system, with the defendants presumed innocent until proven guilty.