CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — The parents of a missing nonverbal five-year-old girl who was found dead in South Carolina have been arrested in East Tennessee and charged in connection with the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver announced Tuesday evening that John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes were taken into custody in Carter County, Tennessee. Both face charges of unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing harm and willfully abandoning a child under South Carolina law.
The charges stem from the disappearance and death of the couple’s daughter, Saylor Hayes, a nonverbal 5-year-old who was reported missing Sunday afternoon from a family rental home in the Hagley community of Georgetown County, South Carolina.
According to investigators, deputies launched an extensive search after Saylor was reported missing. Authorities attempted to track her using Project Lifesaver, a program that utilizes radio transmitters to help locate individuals who may wander due to medical or developmental conditions.
Sheriff Weaver said Saylor had been enrolled in the program since June 2024. However, investigators discovered her tracking transmitter inside a vehicle on the family’s property in Bristol, Virginia, rather than with the child.
Saylor was found dead Monday morning. Authorities have not yet released her cause of death.
Following the arrests, Sheriff Weaver issued a lengthy statement describing the child’s death as a tragedy that deeply affected investigators, first responders and the Georgetown County community.
“Weaver said parents and caregivers have a fundamental responsibility to protect children who cannot protect themselves and that law enforcement has a duty to act when evidence indicates a child may have been placed in dangerous circumstances.”
The sheriff emphasized that the arrests are based on evidence gathered during the investigation and should not be interpreted as a determination of guilt. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
“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.”
Authorities said extradition proceedings are now underway. Once completed, the Hayeses will be transported to Georgetown County, South Carolina, to face the charges.
An autopsy on Saylor Hayes is scheduled for Friday morning at the Medical University of South Carolina. Investigators have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding her death as the case moves into the judicial process.
Sheriff Weaver thanked deputies, investigators, emergency responders, partner agencies and community members who assisted in the search effort and subsequent investigation.
