Mom and daughter last seen leaving Sonic restaurant are found dead in river, KY cops say

A mom and daughter were found dead in a river days after they went missing, Kentucky authorities say.

Bonnie Mayes, 80, and her 59-year-old daughter, Reginia Payne, had last been seen just after midnight on Saturday, July 22, leaving a Sonic restaurant in Owensboro, according to authorities.

The Sonic worker who served the mother and daughter told WEHT “nothing was out of the ordinary” when they came to the restaurant.

Mayes and Payne were supposed to go back to Riverside Care and Rehabilitation Center, a health care facility in Calhoun where Mayes reportedly stayed, according to the McLean County Sheriff’s Office. But they never arrived.

Daviess County authorities said their Toyota Highlander was discovered Tuesday in the Green River in Webster County, about 35 miles southwest of the Sonic. Mayes and Payne were found dead in the vehicle, deputies said.

Their deaths are believed to be accidental, according to McLean County authorities.

Family members said Mayes had advanced dementia.

“This is a very difficult time for our Signature HealthCARE family as our residents and their loved ones become our family and a tightly knit community,” Riverside Care said in a statement to WFIE. “Any loss is simply devastating to us all. Our pain cannot compare to those of the families of our beloved resident, and we cannot begin to resolve their loss. For that, we are truly saddened.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Mom and daughter last seen leaving Sonic restaurant are found dead in river, KY cops say."