A 22-year-old mother from South Carolina tragically lost her life after vanishing during a birthday trip. Before her disappearance, she had voiced concerns about her safety to her family. The body of Ta’Haley Payton was discovered in Charlotte, more than three weeks after she was declared missing, as verified by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Payton, who shared a 6-month-old daughter with her boyfriend, had journeyed roughly two hours from her Spartanburg residence across state borders on November 19. However, following a dispute the subsequent day, her boyfriend returned home without her, as per a friend who communicated with the Charlotte Observer.
Payton was left abandoned without a phone, cash, or any resources, according to her friend, Kelanie Davis. After being left alone, Payton reached out to her mother from a bar, expressing her discomfort and her intention to walk to a nearby Burger King. A few hours later, she messaged her family, informing them that a friend was supposed to collect her, but that never occurred.
Payton’s family disclosed that she had been hospitalized for postpartum depression and was released on November 20. She was reported missing the day after her journey began and was last sighted on that day. Her body was found on December 11.
Davis remembered Payton as a positive force who consistently motivated others to have faith in themselves. The inquiry into Payton’s death is still in progress, and the cause of death has not been revealed. Davis, like the public, has limited information about the investigation but hopes for justice for her best friend.