Family of missing Chicago woman Taylor Casey travels to Bahamas to join search

CHICAGO (WLS) — The family of a Chicago woman who went missing in the Bahamas plans to travel to the islands on Tuesday to join the search effort.

Taylor Casey’s mother said she was “deeply concerned for Taylor’s safety and well-being” and that “Taylor would never disappear like this.”

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The 41-year-old woman from Chicago went missing last Wednesday on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, where she had been attending a yoga retreat with Yoga Retreat Bahamas.

Two days later, the Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a missing persons poster to alert the public.

Her family will fly to the Bahamas on Tuesday to help with the search. She was known for her active and loving personality and had been practicing yoga for 15 years.

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“I think she is in danger because she wanted to share her experience at the yoga retreat with others when she returned home. There is no way she would disappear like this,” her mother said. Taylor attended the yoga retreat with the long-term goal of deepening her yoga practice. “She wanted to share her experience at the yoga retreat with others when she returned home, so she is in danger. There is no way she would disappear like this,” she said.

The family said they plan to work with local authorities when they arrive in the Bahamas on Tuesday to search for Taylor.

A US State Department spokesperson issued a statement saying:

• We are aware of reports of Americans going missing in the Bahamas.
• When a U.S. citizen goes missing, we work closely with local authorities to conduct search efforts and share as much information as we can with families.
• The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of our citizens overseas, and we stand ready to provide assistance to Americans and their families in need.
• Due to privacy considerations, we will refrain from making any further comments.

Yoga Retreat Bahamas released the following statement:

“Yoga Retreat Bahamas can confirm the disappearance of a participant from a yoga certification retreat and has requested police to investigate. The organization has also notified the U.S. Embassy and Taylor Casey’s family. Casey’s disappearance was discovered on June 20th when she failed to attend her morning class. She was last seen at the retreat late on the evening of June 19th. The organization is currently cooperating with law enforcement.”

Her family are appealing for anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward, saying every lead is important in helping to find her.