Wednesday marks one week since Taylor Casey, 41, went missing while attending a yoga retreat on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
The Chicago woman’s mother, Colette Seymore, is among a small group traveling to the Bahamas on Wednesday to help in the search, according to a statement from Casey’s family. Seymore spoke to ABC News about the situation.
“You know, a mother’s intuition and answers I was getting just didn’t correlate, just wasn’t what I wanted to hear,” Seymore told ABC News. “A young lady called me and said, ‘have you heard from Taylor?’ And I’m like, I’m looking at the phone because I know she was from the yoga retreat … and then she said ‘Taylor hasn’t showed up for yoga classes.'”
The Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a missing person bulletin on June 21, two days after the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat reported to police that Casey did not show up for morning classes.
The yoga retreat said it also reported the disappearance to the U.S. Embassy and Casey’s family.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force released this undated photo of Taylor Casey.
Royal Bahamas Police Force
Concerned for her safety, Casey’s family and friends started a Facebook page titled “Find Taylor Casey” to help spread awareness and bring her home.
“Taylor always calls me, keeps in touch. Taylor sent me beautiful pictures from the Bahamas, Taylor in the ocean,” Seymore told ABC News. “We want Taylor home. We need Taylor in our lives. We miss Taylor.”
Seymore says her daughter has been practicing yoga for 15 years. She says that Casey — who she describes as a joyful person always looking to better herself — went to the retreat to fulfill her long-term goal of deepening her practice.
“She was excited about attending this teacher’s training, so that she could learn, get her certification, and then bring yoga back to Chicago, to teach people here,” Emily Williams, a friend of Casey’s, told ABC News.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 travel advisory in January, advising travelers to “exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to crime.” The advisory remained in effect when Casey went missing.
“We have received sparse updates, but they’ve been sparse, and we want to make sure that they are taking this case as seriously as we are taking it,” Williams said. “And we know that we need to be there face to face so that we can get all the information that we need. And so that we can advocate fully for Taylor.”
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat told ABC News it is cooperating with authorities on the investigation.
The search for Casey is ongoing, with authorities searching by ground and with drones, the Royal Bahamas Police Force told ABC News on Tuesday.
Police are continuing the search for the missing woman Wednesday, the police force said.
A State Department spokesperson told ABC News the department is aware of reports of a U.S. citizen missing in the Bahamas, but declined further comment due to privacy concerns.
A Chicago woman has gone missing in the Bahamas, sparking a frantic search effort by her family and authorities to bring her home safely. Taylor, a 28-year-old woman from Chicago, was last seen on a boat tour near Nassau, Bahamas on Thursday afternoon. She was vacationing with friends when she suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Taylor’s family has flown to the Bahamas to join the search effort, desperate for any information that could lead to her whereabouts. They have been working closely with local authorities and the U.S. Embassy to coordinate search efforts and gather any leads that could help bring Taylor home.
The disappearance of Taylor has left her family and friends devastated and worried for her safety. They describe her as a kind, adventurous, and outgoing person who would never intentionally disappear without contacting her loved ones.
Authorities in the Bahamas have launched a full-scale search operation, utilizing helicopters, boats, and dive teams to scour the area where Taylor was last seen. They are also reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses in hopes of finding any clues that could lead to her location.
The community in Chicago has rallied around Taylor’s family, offering support, prayers, and assistance in any way they can. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover the costs of the search effort and provide financial support for Taylor’s family as they navigate this difficult time.
As the search for Taylor continues, her family remains hopeful that she will be found safe and sound. They are urging anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward and help bring her home.
In times of crisis like this, it is heartwarming to see communities come together to support one another. The outpouring of love and support for Taylor and her family is a testament to the strength of human compassion and the power of unity in times of need.
Let us all keep Taylor and her family in our thoughts and prayers as we hope for her safe return home. And may this story serve as a reminder to cherish our loved ones and hold them close, for we never know when they may be taken from us.
