Parents Arrested After Nonverbal 5-Year-Old Found Dead in South Carolina Waterway
John Herb Hayes III, 70, and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, 31, of Washington County, Virginia, were arrested in Carter County, Tennessee, following the death of their 5-year-old nonverbal autistic daughter, Saylor Hayes. According to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, the child was found dead in a South Carolina waterway near their Pawleys Island vacation rental after allegedly being left unsupervised without a required tracking device.
The Discovery in Pawleys Island and the Multi-Agency Search
Saylor Hayes was discovered dead in a water body close to the family’s rental home on Old Waccamaw Drive in the Hagley community at approximately 9:45 a.m. on Monday. According to authorities, the recovery followed an intensive search involving hundreds of personnel, drones, K-9 units, divers, and a helicopter equipped with tracking technology.
Agents with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources located the child wearing a one-piece bathing suit and a white lanyard. Georgetown County Coroner Chase Ridgeway stated that the body showed no visible signs of trauma. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday to determine the exact cause and manner of death, which remains undetermined.
Project Lifesaver Discrepancies and Criminal Charges
Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis confirmed that Saylor had been enrolled in the agency’s Project Lifesaver program since June 2024. The program utilizes a small radio-frequency transmitter attached via a specialized band designed for continuous wear, which must be physically cut to remove. However, investigators found the tracking transmitter inside a vehicle at the family’s home in Virginia, according to court documents.
According to the arrest affidavit, John and Geordyn Hayes are accused of putting Saylor at an unreasonable risk of harm by failing to provide supervision appropriate for a severely nonverbal child with a known affinity for water and a history of elopement. Arrest warrants further allege that the parents encouraged deputies to utilize Project Lifesaver during the active search despite knowing the child was not wearing the device, and allegedly directed search efforts away from the nearby body of water.
Gene Saunders, founder and CEO of Project Lifesaver International, noted that the device can be worn during bathing and swimming, emphasizing that removing the band eliminates the rapid-locating capability during emergencies.
The couple faces charges of unlawfully placing a child at risk or willfully abandoning a child. They were taken into custody in Tennessee and await extradition back to Georgetown County, South Carolina.
Community Impact and Safety Protocols
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver expressed sorrow and pointed to the core responsibilities of caregivers in protecting vulnerable minors.
Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis stated that local authorities in Virginia will continue cooperating with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office as the investigation proceeds.