Authorities in Georgetown County, South Carolina, continued searching Sunday and into Monday for a missing 5-year-old girl who reportedly wandered away from her parents' rental home in the Hagley area.
Search operations and tactics
The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) said the child, identified as Saylor Hayes, is about 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with blond hair and blue eyes. At the time she was last seen she was wearing a one-piece light-blue bathing suit and a pink-and-white lanyard around her ankle.
On Sunday, teams of deputies, K9 units and boats were searching the area, and officials closed the Hagley Boat Landing as searches continued. Divers from Horry County were also reported on scene to check around dock areas.
- Ground searches by deputies and K9 teams
- Water searches by boats and county divers
- Aerial support using Project Lifesaver technology
- Attempted tracking of a personal transmitter reported to be worn by the child
Project Lifesaver efforts
GCSO said deputies have been attempting to locate the child using Project Lifesaver, a system that uses radio transmitters to aid searches for people who may wander. A helicopter equipped with Project Lifesaver gear from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office was flown above the search area to try to pick up a signal; a sheriff’s update said the aerial signal can be less affected by difficult terrain.
“We’ve had a helicopter in the air trying to get a ping from Miss Saylor’s Project Lifesavers monitor while deputies are on the ground with our Project Lifesaver equipment trying to getting a ping on the grounds as well. Unfortunately, we have not been able to receive any kind of messages from that device that Miss Saylor was allegedly wearing at the time when she disappeared,” said Sheriff Carter Weaver, GCSO.
Officials said operators were attempting to ‘ping’ the transmitter from both the helicopter and ground units. At one update, GCSO reported they had not received a message from the device that the child was said to be wearing.
What is known and what families should note
| Detail | Known information |
|---|---|
| Child | Saylor Hayes, 5 years old |
| Last seen | Near a rental home on Old Waccamaw Drive in Hagley |
| Appearance | Approximately 3 ft. 6 in., blond hair, blue eyes; light-blue one-piece bathing suit; pink-and-white lanyard at ankle |
| Search assets | Deputies, K9 teams, boats, divers, helicopter with Project Lifesaver |
GCSO communications specified that the child may not respond verbally but could react positively to gentle tones, smiles and slow movements. That guidance is aimed at assisting both public volunteers and responders in how to approach a child who may be frightened or non-verbal.
While this incident is unfolding in the United States, the shared place name has attracted attention from communities beyond the immediate area. The facts remain anchored to the active search in Georgetown County, S.C., where local, county and neighbouring agencies have pooled resources.
Authorities posted updates as the search continued. No further information about the outcome of the search was provided in the latest updates cited by GCSO.
Anyone with information about the child's whereabouts was asked to contact the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office. The office has been coordinating with neighbouring county resources to maintain a broad search footprint across both land and water.
