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GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (BFMG) — The parents of 5-year-old Saylor Hayes were arrested Tuesday evening in Tennessee and charged in connection with the disappearance and death of their daughter, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO).
John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes were arrested in Carter County, Tennessee. Authorities said each is charged under South Carolina law with unlawfully placing a child at risk or willfully abandoning a child.
The arrests come one day after Saylor’s body was found in the water near Hagley Landing following an extensive search that involved hundreds of people and numerous local and regional agencies.
Authorities said the couple will be transported back to Georgetown County once extradition proceedings in Tennessee are completed.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver called Saylor’s death a “heartbreaking tragedy” and said investigators followed the evidence developed during the investigation.
“From the beginning, our responsibility has been to follow the evidence wherever it led,” Weaver said. “Following an extensive investigation, Saylor’s parents have been arrested and charged under South Carolina law relating to unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm, or willfully abandoning a child.”
Saylor disappeared Sunday from a vacation rental in the Hagley community of Pawleys Island, prompting a massive search involving law enforcement officers, firefighters, divers, K-9 teams, drones, boats and volunteers.
Her body was recovered Monday morning from the water near the area where she had last been seen.
Weaver said Saylor was a vulnerable child who depended on the adults responsible for her care.
“Parents and caregivers have a fundamental responsibility to protect children who cannot protect themselves,” Weaver said. “When the evidence establishes probable cause to believe that a child has been unlawfully placed in circumstances that endanger that child’s safety, law enforcement has a responsibility to act.”
The sheriff did not disclose in Tuesday’s statement the specific evidence investigators say led to the charges against Saylor’s parents.
“Saylor was a vulnerable five-year-old child who depended upon the adults responsible for her care and protection,” Weaver said. “She deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected.”
The arrests mark a significant development in an investigation that began as a search for a missing child and has since focused on the circumstances surrounding Saylor’s disappearance and death.
Weaver emphasized that the charges do not constitute a finding of guilt.
“These arrests are based upon the evidence developed during this investigation and the applicable law,” he said. “They should not be interpreted as a determination of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.”
The case will now move into the judicial process.
“Nothing we do can bring Saylor back,” Weaver 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.”
Weaver also thanked the deputies, investigators, first responders, partner agencies and community members who participated in the search and investigation.
“Above all, we will remember Saylor and remain committed to ensuring that her life is not forgotten,” Weaver said. “Saylor deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected.”
Additional details about the evidence supporting the charges and the timing of the couple’s return to South Carolina have not yet been released.
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The Georgetown County Coroner’s Office (GCCO) says an autopsy is scheduled for Friday at MUSC. The cause and manner of death remain pending the results of the autopsy and any additional testing.
The case remains an active and ongoing investigation.
