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A large-scale search for a missing five-year-old girl ended in tragedy Monday morning when authorities discovered her body in the water near her family’s Pawleys Island, South Carolina vacation rental.
Sailor Hayes disappeared on Sunday (August 30, 2026) after wandering away from the home on Old Waccamaw Drive in the Hagley community, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO).
Sailor, who was nonverbal, was wearing a Project Lifesaver transponder when she disappeared. The device is designed to help authorities locate people with cognitive conditions that may cause them to wander.
Her disappearance prompted an extensive search involving deputies, firefighters, K-9 teams, marine patrol officers, divers, drones, helicopters and community volunteers.
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Deputies used Project Lifesaver tracking equipment on the ground, while a Charleston County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) helicopter equipped with the same technology searched from the air.
Crews also searched the surrounding neighborhood, docks, shoreline and nearby waterways.
Horry County divers searched approximately 200 yards underwater near the rental property Sunday. The Midway Fire Department (MFD) and GCSO Marine Patrol searched by boat as deputies, K-9 teams and other responders continued working into the night.
“We’re here until we find her,” Georgetown County sheriff Carter Weaver said Sunday as the search continued.
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At approximately 9:45 a.m. EDT on Monday (August 31, 2026), the sheriff’s office announced that agents with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) had recovered Sailor’s body from the water near the area where she was last seen.
Authorities have not said how they believe Sailor entered the water, nor has an official cause and manner of death been released.
The search drew assistance from numerous agencies and members of the community. Residents in the area were asked to check security-camera footage and help search properties near the rental home.
The investigation remains ongoing. FITSNews will provide additional details as more information becomes available.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Troy Styles is a field correspondent for FITSNews. He is also the owner of Blunt Force Media.
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