A young mother with a history of addiction was found dead on a barge on the Mississippi River after she was arrested days earlier for begging to go to a mental hospital.
The body of 22-year-old Hailey Silas was found on a barge in the Mississippi River on Oct. 21 and her death remains a mystery, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said.
Silas, mother of a four-year-old son, was arrested and taken into custody on October 15 after she repeatedly called police and asked for help because she was “scared.”
She told police she was having a “panic attack” and begged them to take her to a mental hospital. Silas’ sister revealed that the 22-year-old had a history of addiction and said they both had difficult upbringings.
Silas’ body was mysteriously found over 400 miles from where she made the call. Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner called Monday’s death investigation “extremely unusual.”
A young mother with a history of addiction was found dead on a barge on the Mississippi River after being arrested days earlier for begging to go to a mental hospital (Pictured: Hailey Silas, 22)
Silas, mother of a four-year-old son, was arrested and taken into custody on October 15 after she repeatedly called the police asking for help because she was “scared” (Pictured: Silas with her four-year-old son). )
Hailey Silas was originally from Oklahoma. She attended Wellston High School and gave birth to her son with her now-ex-partner Cesar Perez four years ago. Perez said in a Facebook tribute: “You will forever hold a special place in my heart, in good times and bad, we have always overcome everything.”
Silas had made her frantic 911 calls from a gas station across from the Southland Casino in West Memphis, Arkansas. She was arrested and sentenced to probation because of her “false alarm” calls to police
The body was found by workers during a routine inspection of the barge on the Mississippi River between the Tennessee-Arkansas border.
She had made her frantic 911 calls from a gas station across from the Southland Casino in West Memphis, Arkansas.
According to the records, she was arrested and sentenced to probation because of her “false alarm” calls to police.
Arkansas court documents show that Hailey pleaded guilty to the Class A misdemeanor on Oct. 18 following her appearance in a West Memphis courtroom.
Police took Silas to the station and she was “scared and confused,” according to WREG, asking to speak to her mother and father and begging to be taken to a “mental health facility.”
Hailey Silas was originally from Oklahoma. She attended Wellston High School and gave birth to her son with her now-ex-partner Cesar Perez four years ago.
Perez said in a Facebook tribute: “You will forever hold a special place in my heart, no matter the good times or the bad, we have always overcome everything.”
“Even though we both decided three months ago that it was best to separate, I thought about you every day, I still loved you and now I sit here with this heartbreak.
“When I found out you were no longer with us, my heart was completely shattered, but I promise you, I brought our little boy here. I will do everything I can for my son. Please take care of us Hailey, we love you so much.”
Silas’ mother – LaRena Darrow – was heartbroken over the news of her daughter’s tragic death. She said: “She was a great mother.” My grandson misses such a wonderful person. She was such an angel.
“I don’t want to think about my baby being hurt like that and no one being there to save him or help him.”
The body of 22-year-old Hailey Silas was found on a barge in the Mississippi and her death remains a mystery (Image: Mississippi Barge)
Silas’ body was mysteriously found over 400 miles from where she made the desperate 911 call
Silas’ older sister Daisy spoke on a GoFundMe page about the 22-year-old’s past struggles with addiction and his troubling childhood
Her mother said Silas did not act strangely leading up to her strange death. She said: “I had spoken to her on Thursday night and she had sent me some pictures of her on a bridge and she looked so happy. “And she was about to sing karaoke and that was the last time I spoke to her .’
Her mother also claimed that someone else had Silas’ phone – and claimed that when she called the number, an unknown voice answered the phone.
Darrow responded to the caller by saying, “This is my daughter’s profile. What are you doing on that?”
The unknown man said, “Well, I’m sorry, Hailey doesn’t have her phone anymore.”
Silas’ older sister Daisy Rys created a GoFundMe for Hailey. She wrote: “Hailey was my little sister, she was 22 and I’m 24, she left a 4 year old perfect little corner who had the best mother in the world when she was there, so patient, so understanding, so beautiful inside.” and out.
“Whoever is responsible will have their day.” Hailey and I basically raised ourselves, we always motivated each other no matter what was going on inside us!
“Growing up, we both experienced trauma at different times that led us both to addiction.”
“Her addiction took her away from everything she loved most, and especially from what she did best, being the mother of a little boy.”
“She was my inspiration when I had my own son. She was the most loving person I know, the most considerate. She didn’t deserve this in front of everyone who was so sweet and kind and was beyond beautiful inside and out.”