Oklahoma woman found dead on barge had been arrested days earlier having 'panic attack'

An Oklahoma woman found dead on a Tennessee barge had been arrested for repeatedly calling 911 for help just days before her body was found.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said the body of 22-year-old Hailey Silas, from Luther, Oklahoma, was discovered just after 7 a.m. on Oct. 21. The crew was performing a routine inspection of the barge while it was traveling the Mississippi River near Shelby Forest when Silas was found.

The barge had been idling near the I-55 bridge hours earlier, around 11 p.m. Friday, when it was inspected the first time, and Buckner said the crew told deputies there was no body at that time. It was cleared to leave Memphis around 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner called the death investigation "extremely unusual" Monday.

Oklahoma woman Hailey Silas arrested in West Memphis days before body found on barge

According to WREG in Memphis, Silas was arrested Oct. 15 after repeatedly calling 911 from a gas station across from Southland Casino. She was asking police to give her a ride out of the city because she was scared of something, the news outlet reported.

Silas told police she was having a "panic attack," and after they took her to the police station she asked to be taken to a "psych ward."

According to Arkansas court records, Silas pled guilty in court to the misdemeanor of communicating a false alarm on Oct. 18.

Lucas Finton, staff writer for The Commercial Appeal, contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma woman Hailey Silas arrested days before body found on barge