The parents of Saylor Hayes, a missing nonverbal five-year-old girl who was found dead in the water, were arrested in Carter County, Tennessee.

Published on: Sep 2, 2026, 06:22:07 IST

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The parents of Saylor Hayes, a missing nonverbal five-year-old girl who was found dead in the water on Monday, August 31, have been arrested. John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes were arrested in Carter County, Tennessee.

Who are John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes?

Not much has been revealed about John and Geordyn, except that both have been charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk/willfully abandoning a child for their actions in the disappearance and subsequent death of their child.

Geordyn said that Saylor wandered off from a Pawleys Island-area rental home Sunday morning, August 30. Georgetown County deputies and neighborhood volunteers searched for Saylor, with the Midway Fire Department, the Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol, drones from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgetown County Fire Department assisting in it.

According to an affidavit, Saylor had been equipped with a monitoring device since 2024, but it was removed before leaving Virginia, per Live 5 News. Sheriff spokesperson Heather Pelham said Project Livesaver equipment was deployed on land and in the airspace to try to get a signal from the device Saylor was believed to be wearing.

The girl’s found in the water near where she was last seen around 9:45 am.

Sheriff Carter Weaver released a statement after Saylor’s parents’ arrest. Here’s the full statement, posted by the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office:

“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. 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.

Parents and caregivers have a fundamental responsibility to protect children who cannot protect themselves. 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.

Saylor was a vulnerable five-year-old child who depended upon the adults responsible for her care and protection. She deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected. 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. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nothing we do can bring Saylor back. 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.

I remain extremely grateful to the deputies, investigators, first responders, partner agencies and citizens who worked tirelessly to find Saylor and determine what happened to her.

This case is now entering the judicial process, and we will respect that process. Above all, we will remember Saylor and remain committed to ensuring that her life is not forgotten.

Saylor deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected.”

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