5-YEAR-OLD SAYLOR HAYES FOUND DEAD AFTER VANISHING FROM VACATION HOME — NOW HER PARENTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED

A heartbreaking case involving a missing 5-year-old girl has taken a dramatic turn after her parents were arrested just one day after her body was discovered in South Carolina.

Saylor Hayes, a severely nonverbal child with autism and a known history of wandering, disappeared from a vacation rental in Pawleys Island on August 30.

An enormous search involving law enforcement agencies, rescue crews, divers, drones and hundreds of community volunteers followed.

But the search ended in tragedy.

Saylor was found in nearby waters on August 31.

Now investigators are turning their attention to the circumstances surrounding the little girl’s disappearance — and two people closest to her are facing felony charges.

HER PARENTS ARE NOW UNDER ARREST

Saylor’s parents, John Herb Hayes III, 70, and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, 31, were arrested Tuesday in Carter County, Tennessee.

Both were charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk and willfully abandoning a child under South Carolina law.

Authorities say the charges stem from allegations that the couple failed to provide appropriate supervision and safeguards for a particularly vulnerable child.

The parents remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The arrests came after investigators reviewed what happened before, during and after Saylor disappeared from the family’s rental property.

THE TRACKING DEVICE BECAME A KEY QUESTION

One of the most troubling details in the investigation involves a tracking device that could have helped authorities locate Saylor.

Saylor had been enrolled in Project Lifesaver, a program designed to help locate people who are at risk of wandering.

The child had been assigned a transmitter that emits a unique radio frequency.

But when Saylor disappeared, investigators say she was not wearing the device.

Authorities later located the transmitter inside a vehicle at the family’s Virginia home.

According to arrest warrants, investigators believe the parents knew Saylor was not wearing the transmitter when they reported her missing.

Yet, authorities allege, search efforts were directed toward the tracking technology.

That detail could become a major part of the prosecution’s case.

A MASSIVE SEARCH UNFOLDED

When Saylor disappeared on August 30, an enormous search operation began.

Multiple agencies joined the effort, along with hundreds of volunteers.

Drones, boats, aircraft, K-9 teams and divers were deployed as rescuers searched the area surrounding the vacation rental.

The community also joined the effort, checking properties, docks and nearby areas in hopes of finding the little girl.

But despite the extensive operation, Saylor was not located until the following morning.

Her body was recovered from waters near Hagley Landing, close to the area where she had disappeared.

INVESTIGATORS SAY SEARCHERS MAY HAVE BEEN SENT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

According to the arrest warrants, investigators allege that the parents not only emphasized the tracking device during the search, but also directed search efforts away from a nearby body of water.

That allegation is particularly significant because Saylor was known to have an attraction to water and a history of wandering.

Authorities allege she had been left without adequate supervision within roughly 15 meters of the water.

The warrants say investigators believe those circumstances created an unreasonable risk to the child’s safety.

Still, authorities have not publicly alleged that the parents intentionally caused Saylor’s death.

The current charges center on alleged neglect, risk and abandonment.

WHAT HAPPENED TO SAYLOR?

That question remains unanswered.

Authorities have not released an official cause or manner of death.

An initial examination reportedly found no obvious signs of trauma, but an autopsy is expected to provide additional information.

The investigation remains active, and authorities have indicated that additional charges could potentially follow depending on what investigators uncover.

A COMMUNITY LEFT HEARTBROKEN

The tragedy has deeply affected the Pawleys Island community.

Hundreds of people joined the search for Saylor, hoping against hope that the little girl would be found safe.

Instead, the search ended with the discovery of her body.

Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver described Saylor’s passing as a heartbreaking tragedy and said investigators had a responsibility to follow the evidence wherever it led.

That investigation has now led to the arrest of her parents.

For a family already facing an unimaginable loss, the case has entered an even more complicated chapter.

John and Geordyn Hayes are expected to face extradition proceedings before being returned to Georgetown County, South Carolina.

Meanwhile, investigators continue working to answer the most important questions surrounding Saylor’s final hours — including why she was not wearing the tracking device, how she came to be near the water and whether anything else could have changed the outcome.

For now, one thing is clear: the search for answers is far from over.