CPD issues missing person report as search continues for Chicago woman who disappeared during yoga retreat in the Bahamas

CHICAGO — Authorities in Chicago have issued a missing person report for a woman who disappeared nearly two weeks ago during a yoga retreat in the Bahamas.

Taylor Casey, a 41-year-old Chicago resident, was last seen on Wednesday, June 19, at the Sivananda Ashram yoga retreat on Paradise Island near the Bahamas capital.

Chicago police issued the alert shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday and asked anyone who has had recent direct contact or correspondence with Casey to contact CPD Area 5 SVU at 312-746-6554.

According to CPD, the alert was issued after Chicago police called about Casey’s disappearance.

Ongoing efforts to find Taylor Casey

Monday’s alert is the latest attempt to find the woman, while her relatives fear the worst.

According to a family spokesperson, Casey, who has been practicing yoga for 15 years, left Chicago to attend a yoga teacher training program because she wanted to achieve her long-term goal and deepen her practice.

Casey’s niece, Traysia Conard, said it was uncharacteristic of Casey to remain silent and she knew something was wrong after yoga retreat organizers told them she had not shown up for class.

Officials at the retreat later said they also notified the U.S. Embassy of Casey’s disappearance after she failed to show up.

According to Conard, it was nothing unusual for Casey to travel to the Bahamas, adding that she had already been there in February.

“I believe Taylor is in danger because she was eager to share her yoga retreat experience with others when she returned. Taylor would never disappear like that,” Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore, said in a statement last week.

Just one day before her disappearance, on Tuesday, June 18, family members received pictures of Casey at the beach and told them she was enjoying the day very much.

After her disappearance, a Facebook group called “Find Taylor Casey” was created.

On Friday, June 21, two days after she was last seen, the Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a missing person report for Casey.

Police Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told WGN News that there is currently no information to suggest that any crimes have been committed.

Family members of the missing woman traveled to the Bahamas to help in the search.

A missing woman’s phone found provides clues

On the morning of Tuesday, June 25, authorities found Casey’s cell phone in the water.

Conard said on “NewsNation Live” on Wednesday that she was the only person who could see Casey’s location through the Find My iPhone app. After checking the app, she could see that the phone was in the water. It was the same area where authorities later found the phone.

Travel advice for the Bahamas

In January, the U.S. government issued a Level 2 travel warning for the Bahamas.

The warning warned travelers about water hazards and crime in certain parts of the Bahamas, including the area through which Casey had traveled.

“Most crimes occur on the islands of New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport). In Nassau, increased vigilance is advised in the Over the Hill area (south of Shirley Street), where gang violence has led to a high murder rate, primarily affecting the local population,” the warning states. “Violent crimes such as burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying in short-term rental vacation properties that do not have private security companies present.”

In a statement to NewsNation, the U.S. State Department said it was aware of Casey’s disappearance and that the well-being and safety of U.S. citizens abroad was not a higher priority.

Authorities in the Bahamas are asking anyone with information on Casey’s whereabouts to contact the Royal Bahamas Police Force Criminal Investigation Division at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328-8477.