Coroner finds cause of death for missing five year old girl

The Georgetown County Coroner's Office announced on Monday that five-year-old Saylor Hayes died by drowning. The New York Post reported that the child was a non-verbal autistic girl who was found dead in a South Carolina river during a family vacation over the summer. [1][8]

Authorities determined that the official cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning. According to the New York Post, investigators also identified child neglect as a contributory factor in the young girl's death. [1]

The manner of death for Hayes has been officially classified as undetermined. The coroner said this decision was made due to an inability to conclusively determine whether the death was accidental or the result of a homicidal act, the New York Post reported. [1]

South Carolina is a state located in the Deep South region of the United States with forty-six counties. Georgetown County forms part of the state's coastal region, where trade is facilitated through local ports. [10][11]