Community holds vigil for 5-year-old Saylor Hayes

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - People gathered at Hagley Landing to honor the life of 5-year-old Saylor Hayes.

Dozens wore blue, the color Saylor was wearing the day she disappeared. Many carried various flowers to place in the water in her memory.

Previous Coverage:

• ‘Heartbreaking’: Body of missing nonverbal 5-year-old girl recovered in Pawleys Island area
• Autopsy results for Saylor Hayes released, Georgetown County
• Friend, family of Saylor’s mother differs in opinion on death in Pawleys Island
• Parents of Saylor Hayes denied bond in Georgetown County

Reverend Angela Williams led the group in prayer.

“We thank you, oh God, for the family, and we pray for them. We pray for this community who has come together one more time. They came together last week to search for her, and this week to say goodbye. So we say goodbye to her, and we wish her Godspeed,” Williams said.

One by one, people stepped to the water’s edge and set their flowers afloat.

Four women who searched for Saylor last week returned to honor her: Teresa Welsh, Elizabeth Doherty, Deanna Davis and Vivian Davis.

“She became our family that day. I think she seems like she got failed by a lot of people around her in the system, and everybody that gathered that day looking for her — I feel like she just became part of our family. I hope wherever she is, wherever her soul is, that she knows she brought people together in love,” Welsh said.

“I feel like, you know, she became our little child. The day we were looking for her, when I went home, I felt so defeated that we couldn’t find her. All I could do is think about her all night long and just pray for her,” Doherty said.

“Take care of your children, everyone, and love them. They’re not maybe not gonna be here long, and you gotta remember that. And I hope we find the answer for what happened to her. That is so important for all of us to know — justice for her, for sure,” Doherty and Welsh said.

People said their goodbyes to Saylor Sunday night, but many say they will continue fighting to make sure she gets justice.

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