Taylor Casey: Family of Chicago woman missing during Bahamas yoga retreat fears for her safety

CNN
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The family of a Chicago woman missing in the Bahamas says they are “deeply concerned” for the safety of the 41-year-old, who had traveled to the islands for a yoga retreat.

The woman, Taylor Casey, was last seen June 19 around Paradise Island, a small seaside enclave just off the coast of New Providence, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

A missing person flyer released by police does not provide details about the circumstances of her disappearance or indicate whether foul play is suspected.

CNN has reached out for comment from police and the yoga retreat.

Today, Casey's family is pleading with the public to help find her and urging anyone with information to contact Bahamas Police.

“We are deeply concerned for Taylor's safety and well-being,” Casey's mother, Colette Seymore, said in a statement posted on a Facebook page dedicated to Casey's whereabouts. “We love Taylor and want her to come home.”

Taylor, who has been practicing yoga for 15 years, attended the yoga retreat “to achieve a long-term goal of deepening her practice,” the family said in the release.

Seymore said she feared Casey was in danger because her daughter was “eager to share her yoga retreat experience with others when she returns.”

“Taylor would never disappear like that,” the mother added.

In a brief conversation with CNN, Seymore said she was traveling to the Bahamas on Tuesday and provided no further comment.

CNN has contacted a family spokesperson for more information.

Casey's family described her as “a light-skinned black female, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.” She has natural hair often covered with a durag.

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 travel advisory in January for Americans traveling to the Bahamas, warning them to “exercise increased caution” due to crime.

The advisory states that the majority of crimes occur on the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence – the island near where Casey was reported missing. He adds that violent crimes, including burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults, affect both tourist and non-tourist areas.

CNN's Carlos Suarez and Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.