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Parents of nonverbal 5-year-old Saylor Hayes are arrested for allegedly placing her at risk during disappearance

John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes were arrested in Carter County, Tennessee, and will be extradited to Georgetown County, South Carolina, for their alleged actions in the disappearance and death of their 5-year-old daughter, Saylor Hayes. The nonverbal, autistic child was found dead in the water near Hagley Landing on Monday morning after wandering away from the family's rental home on Sunday. Authorities have charged the parents with unlawfully placing a child at risk or willfully abandoning a child. Investigators allege the couple failed to provide appropriate supervision for Saylor, who was left unsupervised about 15 meters from a body of water. The parents were also accused of misleading deputies during the search by encouraging the use of Project Lifesaver technology despite knowing Saylor did not have her transmitter on. The search involved multiple agencies, including the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, the Midway Fire Department, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Saylor Hayes' body was recovered by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday morning at the Medical University of South Carolina to determine the cause of death.

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