Report: Father of Saylor Hayes, 5-year-old found dead in Pawleys Island, charged in jail fight
The father of Saylor Hayes, who is facing charges after his 5-year-old daughter's death in Pawleys Island, is now facing an assault charge after an incident in the Georgetown County Detention Center, where he is being held.
Saylor Hayes death
Saylor Hayes was visiting Pawleys Island with her parents on Aug. 30 before her body was found the following day near Hagley Landing. An autopsy found pulmonary edema but no visible signs of trauma; her official cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing.
Her parents, John Herb Hayes III, 71, and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, 31, were arrested Sept. 1 in Tennessee on charges of unlawfully placing a child at risk and willfully abandoning a child in connection with the child's death. They were returned to South Carolina, denied bond, and remain jailed pending a Nov. 19 court appearance.
Video below: Parents of Saylor Hayes, 5-year-old found dead in SC, appear in court
New charge against John Hayes
According to an incident report, John Hayes was charged with simple assault and battery on Sept. 16 after an incident inside the Georgetown County Detention Center, where he is being held.
An incident report said Hayes was upset that he was being put in a new cell because he had been threatened by James Bradley, the man in that cell previously.
Hayes said Bradley had previously hit him in the face twice and in the ribs, according to the report. He also said he believed he had a broken jaw and possibly a broken rib from the assault. Hayes said Bradley attacked him and he never touched Bradley.
The report said there were no visible injuries seen on Hayes.
Hayes also told the investigators he "did nothing to deserve to be in jail" and he wanted to speak to his wife and lawyer.
When investigators spoke with Bradley, he told them he had already made complaints about Hayes because since he got to the jail he had been making threats to Bradley and others and was trying to start fights with people.
The report said Bradley told investigators that when Hayes had come into the cell that day, Bradley told Hayes he would have to sleep on the floor or top bunk. Bradley said Hayes became "irate" and threw water on him, according to the report. Bradley said Hayes also punched him and hit him in the face.
"Due to being unable to determine the primary aggressor, both parties were charged with County Simple Assault on a UTT," the report said.
What's next?
Both John and Geordyn are scheduled to be back in court on Nov. 19. for the charges filed in Saylor's death.
Prior arrests:
Court records showed that on Aug. 28, 2023, Geordyn Nichole Hayes, whose maiden name is Taylor, and John Herb Hayes III were arrested for an incident that allegedly happened in Washington County, Virginia, on July 3 of that year.
Both Geordyn and John were charged with two counts each of felony child abuse involving reckless or willful disregard for human life.
In 2024, Geordyn and John pleaded nolo contendere, which means they accepted the court's punishment without officially admitting or denying guilt. The couple received two years of probation, and in early 2026, the court dismissed the case.
According to Washington County court records, Saylor's mom, Geordyn, was arrested on Feb. 17, 2026, for:
- Felony child cruelty and unlawful conduct toward a child
- Felony child abuse involving reckless or willful disregard for human life
- Misdemeanor public intoxication
Records indicate that during a court hearing on March 12, Geordyn pleaded not guilty to public intoxication. The felony child cruelty charge was dropped during a hearing on Aug. 14. On Aug. 17, the child abuse charge, which was amended to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, was resolved in court, and Geordyn was ordered to pay $546 in court fees.
Court records show that Geordyn's next hearing for the public intoxication charge is scheduled for March 12, 2027.