Family of missing Chicago woman who disappeared during yoga retreat in Bahamas 'deeply concerned'
The family of Taylor Casey, the Chicago woman who went missing while attending a yoga retreat in the Bahamas, said they are "deeply concerned" for her safety and well-being as the search continues.
"I believe Taylor is in danger because she was eager to share her yoga retreat experience with others upon her return," Taylor's mother, Colette Seymour said in the latest news release. "Taylor would never disappear like this."
In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Casey's family said the 41-year-old was last seen at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, on Wednesday, June 19.
The retreat center noticed she was not in class on Wednesday, according to a Facebook group dedicated to finding her.
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"Taylor is an intelligent, deeply caring, thoughtful, and joyful person. She has been practicing yoga for 15 years and went to the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat as part of a long-term goal to deepen her yoga practice," the family said. "She was excited to be participating in the yoga teacher training program and looking forward to sharing her experience with others when she returned."
The Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a missing person poster on Friday, June 21, alerting the public to her disappearance.
"We urge anyone with information about Taylor's whereabouts to come forward. Every lead is crucial in our efforts to locate her," her family pleaded.
Seymour, along with others in her group, are set to travel to Paradise Island and Nassau to coordinate with local authorities and help in the search efforts.
The circumstances surrounding Casey's disappearance are unknown and police did not immediately provide a specific timeline of her last known interactions.
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It is not known if Casey was alone or traveling with someone.
Anyone with information regarding Casey’s disappearance is urged to contact the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Casey's disappearance comes as the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a warning and travel advisory to Americans at the beginning of the year, citing the 18 murders that have happened on the island nation since Jan. 1.
"Murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets," the warning read. "Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders."
The embassy also previously warned Americans traveling to the Bahamas to "exercise extreme caution" in the eastern portion of New Providence Island and to keep a low profile.
Earlier this year, two women from Kentucky were allegedly raped by staff at a resort in Freeport, Grand Bahama. The resort denied the allegations.
In August 2023, a woman was allegedly raped by a staff member at a different Freeport hotel. The woman was sent to stay at the hotel after there were no more rooms available on the cruise ship she was sailing on.
Another woman was allegedly raped at the same hotel in 2016.
"Between 2018-19, the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for the Bahamas, specifically including Freeport, warning that violent crime, including sexual assault, is common," the lawsuit says, according WLFX.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat for comment but did not hear back.
Fox News Digital's Chris Eberhart and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.