Dangerous Love Affair: Ta'Haley Payton

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: After a heated argument with her boyfriend, 22-year-old Ta'Haley Payton found herself stranded in an unfamiliar part of North Carolina, with no way out. As tensions escalated, he made a troubling call to her mother, urging her to "come get her daughter." But by the time help could reach her, Ta'Haley was gone without a trace. After a gruesome discovery, now her family is demanding answers. What happened that night? 

This is the story of Ta'Haley Payton. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Speaks to the planning.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'll go by the name of Charlamagne of God and
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(00:22):
Good Mom's Bad Choices. Carrie Champion will be there with
her next sports podcast and the Trap Nerds podcast, with
more to be announced. And of course it's bigger than podcasts.
We're bringing the Black Effect marketplace with black owned businesses
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Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers at
True Crime Podcast. I'm your host, Hunter and today we
discussed the mysterious case of a twenty two year old
South Carolina mother who vanished after what should have been

(01:07):
a celebratory birthday trip. Her disappearance quickly escalated into a
case full of haunting questions and suspicions. This is the
story of to Hailey Peyton. To Haley was an ambitious,
caring mother who had everything ahead of her. On November nineteenth,

(01:31):
twenty twenty four, to Haley, hoping to celebrate her birthday
in Charlotte, North Carolina, made plans to meet up with
her boyfriend, a trip she had been excited about, but
what started as a joyful reunion quickly took a dark turn.
According to reports, an argument broke out that would change

(01:53):
the course of everything. According to a friend, Klanie Davis,
To Hailey's boyfriend allegedly left her there with no phone,
no money, and no resources the night she vanished. An
employee also reported how to Haley was seen going in
and out of a local Crumble cookie shop several times

(02:16):
that night, asking for help and to use someone's phone.
One of the texts to her boyfriend allegedly reading quote,
I'll sleep outside tonight and I'm sorry for everything. Family
also revealed that while to Haley was in Charlotte, she

(02:37):
was admitted to a local emergency room for postpartum depression.
She had recently given birth to her daughter six months earlier,
whom she shared with her boyfriend. Later on that night,
her family received a distressing phone call. She told them
she didn't feel safe. Her family imediately began to worry.

(03:02):
They knew something wasn't right. To Haley had made sure
to keep in touch during her trip, but after that conversation,
nothing but silence followed. Her family then reported her missing
on November twentieth, the day after her birthday. Next would

(03:26):
come a terrifying discovery. On December ninth, nearly three weeks
after she vanished, to Haley's body was found near Charlotte's
Pearl Street Park. Authorities had discovered her, but the circumstances
surrounding her death have since remained clouded in mystery. Initial

(03:52):
reports claimed her death to be an accident, with hypothermia
being the cause, but in the coming months, question have
since started mounting. Was this really just an accident or
was something darker at play. Some reports suggests that at
some point that night, to Haley's boyfriend left her behind

(04:14):
in North Carolina, returning home to South Carolina. However, other
accounts claimed he stayed behind after the heated dispute, but
left to Haley stranded in an unfamiliar area, unsure of
what to do next. It said that he even called

(04:36):
to Haley's mother, telling her to quote come get her daughter.
Her response was urgent, asking him to not leave to
Haley alone until they could get there or make other arrangements.
The unsettling details surrounding these moments have left to Haley's
family wondering what really happened in those final crews hours

(05:01):
before her death. Her family feels as if she was
left alone, vulnerable and terrified, prompting her final phone call
to them that night, and now they were demanding answers.
If to Hailey had truly died from hypothermia, why did
her boyfriend leave her behind so unexpectedly? To Haley's loved ones,

(05:26):
desperate for justice, have begun questioning every angle They have
spoken out, sharing their fears that something darker may have
happened behind her death. Despite the medical examiner's autopsy ruling
that to Haley died from hypothermia, her family and friends
are currently seeking donations for a second autopsy report to

(05:49):
be conducted. My thoughts and prayers go out to the
loved ones of to Hailey Peyton as they seek justice
and continue to work towards a second autopsy. One thing
is clear, this case is far from over. The mystery

(06:11):
surrounding to Haley Peyton's death still lingers. According to authorities,
her case is active and the investigation remains ongoing as
new information comes to light. We'll be sure to keep
you updated as we wrap up this episode. Don't forget
to hit the follow button to stay updated on this

(06:34):
case and others like it. Also, be sure to subscribe
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Instagram and TikTok. Thank you so much for joining us
on another episode. Until next time. Hunting for Answers is

(07:11):
a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network. For more
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