Brian Entin, Laurene Powell, Marni Hughes
5 hours ago
(NewsNation) — A cousin of Taylor Casey, the Chicago woman who went missing while attending a yoga retreat on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, says she last saw her aunt’s cell phone ringing underwater.
Casey was last seen at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, five miles outside of Nassau, on the evening of Wednesday, June 19. Her disappearance was discovered when she failed to show up for class the following morning.
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat said in a statement that it had notified the US Embassy and Casey’s family about the disappearance of the 41-year-old. A State Department spokesperson said in an email to NewsNation that they were aware of reports of an American citizen going missing in the Bahamas but would not comment further out of consideration for privacy.
The Royal Bahamas Police are currently investigating.
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreats have been described as “otherworldly,” “idyllic” and “fully immersive” by Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop, and have gained a reputation around the world as a beautiful place to learn yoga, as Casey did.
Taylor Casey’s family grows increasingly worried
Casey’s niece, Tracia Conard, told “NewsNation Live” on Wednesday that her aunt was a “kind woman” who had been doing yoga for 15 years and even went to Bamaha in February.
“She’s always traveling,” Conard said, “so this was unusual.”
Conard was the only member of her family who knew where Casey was, through the Find My iPhone app. When she heard Casey was missing, she checked the app and discovered her aunt’s phone was underwater on Tuesday morning.
Taylor Casey’s mother, Colette Seymour, said in a statement that she believes her daughter is in danger.
“We are deeply concerned about Taylor’s safety and well-being,” Seymour said. “We love Taylor and want her to come home.”
Seymour is part of a team heading to the Bahamas to take part in the ongoing search effort.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Section at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328-8477.
Bahamas Travel Advisory
Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas, citing high crime rates.
According to the warning, most of these crimes occur in New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport).
“In Nassau, please exercise increased vigilance in the ‘Over the Hill’ area (south of Shirley Street) where gang violence has led to high homicide rates, primarily affecting local residents,” the warning states. “Violent crimes, including theft, armed robbery and sexual assault, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. If staying in short-term vacation rental properties without private security companies, please remain vigilant.”
A January release from the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs said retaliatory gang violence was the primary motive for homicides in 2024, “occurring at all times of the day, including in broad daylight on the street.”
But despite the US government’s urging for travelers to exercise extreme caution, Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis has disputed some of those claims. NPR reported that in response to the advice, he said the Bahamian government “is remaining vigilant, cautious and proactive in ensuring The Bahamas remains a safe and welcoming travel destination.”
“The incidents listed in the U.S. Embassy Crime Alert for January 2024 do not reflect the general safety of the Bahamas, its 16 tourist destinations, or many other islands,” Davis said, noting that other tourist destinations are also under Level 2 alerts.
