By TMZ | Created at 2026-09-02 19:27:10 | Updated at 2026-09-02 20:19:42
1 hour ago
Saylor Hayes' Mom Was Hopeful She Had Been Sleeping Somewhere ... Before Body Found in River
Published September 2, 2026 12:15 PM PDT
Saylor Hayes' mother, Geordyn, was seen in a now-viral video describing her daughter to folks after she allegedly ran away, but avoided any further questions as to what exactly went down that fatal day.
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In a video posted online, Geordyn Nichole Hayes is shown telling a group of people about Saylor's tendency to gravitate toward food. She describes the alarming day and says she tried looking through the camera to trace the child's whereabouts, but turned up short.
Geordyn says she's just praying Saylor is somewhere and "fell asleep maybe," while thanking those who have shown their support in trying to find her 5-year-old daughter.
As we reported, the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office announced Saylor's remains were discovered Monday morning in the Waccamaw River ... near where the girl's family had rented a home in South Carolina.
A rep for the sheriff told us ... Saylor strayed from the rental home Sunday -- and her parents reported her missing to the police around 11:30 AM. The rep said agents from the Department of Natural Resources were searching for Saylor in a boat when they saw her body floating on the water's surface.
Geordyn and Saylor's dad, John Herb Hayes III, have been charged in South Carolina with unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm or willfully abandoning the child. The sheriff's rep told us John and Geordyn told investigators Saylor -- who was non-verbal and autistic -- was wearing Project Lifesaver equipment, however, we're told she wasn't.
The Georgetown County Coroner said their office will perform an autopsy on Friday to determine Saylor's cause and manner of death.
