- Saylor Hayes, a nonverbal autistic 5-year-old, was reported missing from a Pawleys Island rental home, prompting an intensive search involving hundreds of people and multiple agencies.
- Her parents, John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, were arrested in Tennessee on fugitive-from-justice charges and will be extradited to Georgetown County.
- A 911 call made by John Hayes revealed chaos and stress as he reported his daughter missing, emphasizing her nonverbal condition.
- The couple is accused of putting their daughter in danger or abandoning her under South Carolina law.
- Prior child abuse allegations against the parents have surfaced, including felony cases involving injuries to children.
- Saylor was described as severely nonverbal and had a history of wandering away from caregivers, with a monitoring device that was removed before leaving Virginia.
- The warrants allege that the Hayeses directed search efforts away from the nearby body of water, despite knowing Saylor was not wearing her monitoring device.
- John Hayes faced previous felony charges related to child abuse, which were dismissed in February 2026 after he entered an Alford plea.
- Geordyn Hayes also faced felony charges of child abuse, with one case dropped and another amended to a misdemeanor.
John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes were arrested in Tennessee on fugitive charges after their daughter, Saylor Hayes, a nonverbal autistic child, was found dead near Hagley Landing. The couple is accused of child endangerment and has a troubling history of child abuse allegations.12
Saylor, who was described as severely nonverbal and had a strong attraction to water, was reportedly left unsupervised near a body of water. Arrest warrants indicate that she had a monitoring device that was removed before the family left Virginia. The couple allegedly misled search efforts, directing them away from the water where Saylor was ultimately found.6
John Hayes had previously faced felony charges related to child abuse, while Geordyn Hayes also had similar allegations against her. In a 911 call, John Hayes expressed panic over Saylor's disappearance, stating, “I need help finding her, please as soon as possible. I don’t see her anywhere.” The couple's past includes drug-related incidents, with both parents testing positive for methadone and methamphetamine during previous investigations.3
Authorities have not charged either parent with homicide, and the cause of Saylor's death remains undetermined. “Saylor deserved to be safe. She deserved to be protected,” said a spokesperson, emphasizing the responsibility of caregivers to protect vulnerable children.
“The 911 call captures John Hayes saying Saylor 'just escaped' and that he 'needed help finding her,' while warrants allege the monitoring device was removed before leaving Virginia and search efforts were directed away from water. Prior Virginia cases against John Hayes were dismissed in Feb. 2026, and Geordyn Hayes faces two charges there.”
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