Full Breakdown
Search Ends with Recovery of 5-Year-Old Saylor Hayes
9/1/2026, 2:41:08 AM
Search and Recovery
A nonverbal 5-year-old girl, Saylor Hayes, wandered away from a rental home in the Hagley Estates area of Pawleys Island on Sunday afternoon. She was last seen wearing a light-blue one-piece bathing suit and a pink-and-white lanyard around her ankle. Early on Monday, agents with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources located her body in the water near the spot where she disappeared, at approximately 9:45 a.m.
Multi-Agency Search Operations
The search mobilized dozens of local and state resources. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Horry County Fire Department, Midway Fire Department, Georgetown County Fire Department, Georgetown City Fire Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Search tactics included shoreline patrols, divers, K-9 units, drones, and an underwater drone. Project Lifesaver technology—typically used for individuals with cognitive conditions—was deployed on land and from a Charleston County Sheriff’s Office helicopter to locate the signal from Hayes’s wearable device. Hundreds of neighborhood volunteers also searched their own properties and guarded local docks.
Official Statements & Responses
Sheriff Carter Weaver confirmed that Hayes and her family are from Virginia and thanked the community for its assistance. Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Pelham emphasized the breadth of the volunteer effort and expressed condolences to the family. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office reiterated its gratitude to all agencies and residents who participated in the two-day operation.
Verbatim Quote
- “Hundreds of residents from the area searched their own properties and surrounding areas and guarded local docks,” — Heather Pelham, sheriff’s spokesperson
Investigation Status
As of the recovery, the cause of death has not been released. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office indicated that the investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have asked anyone with additional information to contact law enforcement.
