5-year-old Saylor Hayes found dead: parents arrested in Tennessee after tracking device found at home

Saylor Hayes, 5, vanished from Pawleys Island, SC on Aug. 30 and was found dead the next morning. Her parents were arrested in Tennessee after her tracking transmitter was found at the family home in Virginia.

Saylor Hayes timeline: from disappearance to parents' arrests

The body of five-year-old Saylor Hayes was recovered from the water near Pawleys Island, South Carolina, the morning after she was reported missing — and her parents were subsequently arrested in Tennessee, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office. As wpde.com reported, a key tracking device linked to the child was found not with her, but inside a vehicle at the family's home in Bristol, Virginia.

Sunday, Aug. 30 — Disappearance reported

At 12:31 p.m., the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office announced that Saylor had wandered away from a rental property in Hagley Estates on Old Waccamaw Drive in Pawleys Island. Her mother was the one who reported her missing.

By 2:25 p.m., deputies were deploying Project Lifesaver equipment in an attempt to locate the child. K9 Pelle and officers canvassed the neighbourhood while Georgetown County Fire ran coordinated drone operations. The Midway Fire Department and the Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol searched the water and shoreline. Volunteers were stationed at area docks. A CodeRed emergency alert was sent to nearby residences.

At 3:10 p.m., a helicopter from the Charleston Sheriff's Office — equipped with Project Lifesaver technology — arrived over Hagley. Aerial transmission of the tracking signal provided wider coverage and was less obstructed by terrain, making it more likely to detect Saylor's transponder, according to Georgetown County deputies. Ground searches continued along the Waccamaw shoreline.

At 4:15 p.m., divers from Horry County joined the operation, focusing on docks in the area. Project Lifesaver signals were being broadcast simultaneously from the helicopter and ground units while boats and foot teams continued their sweeps.

Virginia authorities contacted — transmitter found at family home

At an unspecified point during the search, Georgetown County reached out to the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Virginia — the agency that managed Saylor's Project Lifesaver enrollment. Washington County said it immediately supplied Saylor's assigned frequency and other relevant data to assist the search effort.

When personnel in South Carolina were unable to detect Saylor's frequency in the field, Georgetown County asked Washington County to check the family's residence in Bristol. Officers responded, detected the assigned frequency, and traced the signal to the transmitter — found inside a vehicle on the property.

Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis confirmed that the device was not with Saylor at the time she went missing in South Carolina. The agency noted that Saylor had been enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program since June 2024.

According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the specialised band used in the program is designed for continuous wear and cannot be removed by the wearer alone. "It cannot simply be unclasped or removed by the client; the band must be physically cut in order to remove the transmitter," the agency stated.

No exact time was given for when the transmitter was located at the residence.

Monday, Aug. 31 — Body recovered

At approximately 9:45 a.m., agents from the Department of Natural Resources found Saylor's body in the water near the site where she was last seen. The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office said the search had involved hundreds of personnel and multiple agencies.

Around 4:00 p.m. that same day, the Sheriff's Office reported there were no visible signs of trauma on the child's body. The cause and manner of death were listed as undetermined, pending the outcome of an autopsy and any additional testing.

Tuesday, Sept. 1 — Washington County releases transmitter details; parents arrested

At 10:22 a.m., the Washington County Sheriff's Office issued a formal statement detailing Saylor's participation in the Project Lifesaver program and the circumstances in which her transmitter was found.

Later that day, Saylor's parents were arrested in Carter County, Tennessee, and charged in connection with her disappearance and death, the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office confirmed. No further details on the specific charges were immediately released.

Both the Washington County and Georgetown County Sheriff's Offices confirmed the case remains open and active. Washington County said it continues to cooperate fully with the Georgetown County investigation.

Source: Google News GY — Georgetown