NASSAU, Bahamas — The phone of a Chicago woman who went missing while on a yoga retreat in The Bahamas was located in the water on Tuesday, as her family has traveled to The Bahamas to work with authorities there to find her.
The search continues for Taylor Casey, 41, last seen on the evening of Wednesday, June 19, at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island, which is about five miles from Nassau, the capital city of The Bahamas.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a Missing Persons Alert for Casey on Friday, June 21, two days after she was last seen. Chrislyn Skippings, Chief Superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, told WGN News on Thursday that there’s no information as of yet to indicate any crime has been committed.
Skippings also said police have met with Casey’s family and are doing everything they can to find her, including drone searches, as well as utilizing K-9 units, divers and marine units, and more. Skippings said law enforcement is working closely with the U.S. Embassy to communicate any and all updates on the investigation.
Latia Duncombe, Director General for The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, issued a brief comment on the matter to WGN News.
“Our hearts are with the family of the person that is missing, and I’m sure that authorities are doing everything in their power to bring some resolve,” Duncombe said.
Authorities held a press conference in The Bahamas on Wednesday of this week, the first since Casey’s disappearance.
Phone located
Casey’s niece, Traysia Conard, told NewsNation Live on Wednesday that she last saw her aunt’s phone ping in the water.
According to NewsNation, Conard was the only family member who had Casey’s location on the iPhone app Find My Phone. When she heard Casey was missing, Conard checked the app and saw it was in the water, where Casey’s phone was located Tuesday morning of this week, NewsNation reported.
According to Conard, Casey has been doing yoga for about 15 years and has taken numerous trips to yoga retreats before.
“She was actually in The Bahamas in February,” Conard said. “She takes trips all the time. … This was nothing out of the ordinary.”
Conard said her aunt had gone on this retreat to The Bahamas in order to deepen her yoga education and was in a yoga teachers training program.
Conard said that on Tuesday, June 18, a day before her aunt disappeared, Casey had sent the family pictures of herself on the beach and told them she was enjoying herself.
In a statement, the yoga retreat said it advised the U.S. Embassy and notified Casey’s family about her disappearance on Thursday, June 20, after she failed to attend morning classes.
Casey’s family says it’s not like her to go silent, so they knew right away something was wrong when the yoga retreat informed them that she didn’t show up for class.
“My grandma actually texted her Wednesday (June 19), and no response, but we didn’t think anything of it,” Conard said. “Thursday (June 20), we got a call from the yoga retreat saying that Taylor hadn’t been seen.”
Colette Seymore, Casey’s mother, said in a statement she believes her daughter is in danger.
“We are deeply concerned for Taylor’s safety and well-being,” Seymore said. “We love Taylor and want her home.”
Travel advisory
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 Travel Advisory for The Bahamas in late January, government officials warning about water hazards and crime in certain parts of the country, including the area where Casey had traveled to.
The advisory, in part, says: “The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the ‘Over the Hill’ area (south of Shirley Street), where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population.
“Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence.”
In a statement shared with NewsNation, the State Department said it’s aware of Casey’s disappearance and that there is no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.
In its statement this week, the yoga retreat said, in part: “The Ashram is asking anyone with information on Ms. Casey to contact the local police. In the interim, (we are) collaborating with the authorities on their investigation.”
Police in The Bahamas, meanwhile, are asking anyone who may have information on Casey’s whereabouts to come forward. They can contact the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328-8477.
A Find Taylor Casey — Community Support page has also been set up on Facebook.
“If you see her, we just ask that you reach out on the tips page, on the Facebook page,” Conard said.
