Virginia Sheriff Confirms Missing Girl Was Not Wearing Tracker at Time of Disappearance

Key points

• Saylor Hayes, a 5-year-old nonverbal girl, was found dead in waters near Pawleys Island, SC, on Monday morning after wandering from a rental home on Sunday.
• Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis stated that Hayes was not wearing her Project Lifesaver transmitter when she disappeared, which hindered the search efforts.
• The transmitter was discovered inside a vehicle at the family’s residence in the Bristol area of Washington County, Virginia.
• Project Lifesaver is a voluntary program where caregivers are responsible for securing the device, which cannot be removed without cutting the band.
• Georgetown County Coroner Chase Ridgeway reported no visible signs of trauma, but an autopsy at the Medical University of South Carolina is scheduled for Friday to determine the cause and manner of death.

Background

Saylor Hayes had been enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program since June 2024. The program uses radio frequency transmitters to help locate individuals at risk of wandering due to cognitive conditions. Previous reports indicated a massive multi-agency search involving drones, K-9s, divers, and hundreds of local volunteers before her body was recovered on August 31, 2026.

How outlets are covering it

WMBF News and WYFF both report that the tracking device was not on the child during the search, but WYFF provides additional detail that the Virginia sheriff’s office contacted South Carolina authorities on August 30 to provide the assigned frequency. Both outlets emphasize that the device was found in a vehicle at the family’s Virginia home, highlighting the voluntary nature of the program and the caregiver’s responsibility for securing the device. WMBF notes that the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Andis’s statement, while WYFF focuses on the timeline of communication between the two sheriff’s offices.

Why it matters

This case highlights the critical importance of adhering to safety protocols for vulnerable individuals with cognitive conditions. The failure to secure the tracking device may have delayed the rescue, raising questions about caregiver responsibility and the effectiveness of voluntary safety programs in preventing tragedies.

What to watch

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday at the Medical University of South Carolina to determine the cause and manner of death. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will continue to cooperate with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation, though no further details regarding the removal of the transmitter will be released at this time.