The family of a Chicago woman who went missing in the Bahamas is asking for public help in finding her. CNNTaylor Casey, 41, was in the Caribbean country for a yoga retreat and her family said in a statement they were “deeply concerned” for her “safety and well-being”.
Bahamas police said Casey was last seen in the Paradise Island area on June 19. Taylor was said to have been in the Bahamas to attend a yoga retreat run by Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreats. The organizers said in a statement that they had subsequently contacted police in the Caribbean to ask them to investigate her disappearance.
The group said in a statement that it learned of Casey’s disappearance on Thursday when she missed her morning classes. It also said Taylor was last seen on the evening of June 19, adding that it has since “notified the US Embassy and Taylor Casey’s family.”
Casey’s family said in a statement that the missing 41-year-old woman had been practicing yoga for 15 years and had attended the retreat “to achieve a long-term goal of deepening her yoga practice.” “She was eager to return to Chicago and looked forward to sharing her newfound knowledge and experiences with others,” the family said.
Her family also described her as a “light-skinned black female, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.” She has natural hair and usually covers it with a durag, according to the statement.
“We are deeply concerned for Taylor’s safety and well-being,” Casey’s mother, Collette Seymour, said in a statement. “We love Taylor and want her to come home.” Seymour also said she believes her daughter is in danger because “she wanted to tell others about her yoga retreat when she got home.” She added that her daughter “would never disappear like this.”
Casey’s family said in a statement that Taylor’s mother was part of a group traveling to Paradise Island and Nassau to “coordinate with local authorities.” In January, the U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 travel advisory, urging travelers to stay away from crime, CNN report.
“The majority of crime is occurring on New Providence Island (Nassau) and Grand Bahama Island (Freeport),” the warning states. “In Nassau, please be vigilant in the ‘Over the Hill’ area (south of Shirley Street) where gang violence has led to a high homicide rate, primarily affecting local residents.”
“Violent crimes such as theft, armed robbery and sexual assault occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. If you are staying in a short-term vacation rental that does not have a private security company, you should exercise caution.”
