Saylor Hayes | The Search, The Tragedy & The Questions Left Behind

Five-year-old Saylor Hayes disappeared while her family was staying near Pawleys Island, South Carolina, on August 30, 2026.Saylor had been enrolled in Project Lifesaver—a program intended to help locate vulnerable people who may wander. As authorities searched for her, they tried to detect the signal from her assigned transmitter.They couldn’t find it in South Carolina.Deputies found the transmitter more than 300 miles away in Virginia.In this episode of Coffee and Crime with Mom, Nicholle tells Zalle the Saylor Hayes case for the first time. Zalle deliberately went into the recording without researching the case, so you’ll hear her questions and reactions as the story unfolds.We follow the investigation from Saylor’s disappearance and the massive search for her, through the discovery of her transmitter in Virginia, her tragic recovery the following morning, the arrest warrants for her parents, and earlier court and child-welfare cases involving the family in Virginia.Investigators allege Saylor’s parents knew she was not wearing her Project Lifesaver transmitter and nevertheless encouraged authorities to use the tracking system during the search. The warrants also contain allegations concerning supervision near water and the direction of search efforts.John Herb Hayes III and Geordyn Nichole Hayes have not been charged with murdering Saylor. The allegations against them have not been proven in court, and both are presumed innocent.This episode was recorded September 2, 2026, while the investigation was still developing. Information released after our recording may not be reflected in the episode.🎙️ Coffee and Crime with MomWhat is the first question you would want investigators to answer?#SaylorHayes #CoffeeAndCrimeWithMom #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #ProjectLifesaver