Illinois woman Taylor Casey (41) is missing in the Bahamas. She travelled there to attend a yoga retreat and was last seen on June 19, 2024. We believe she arrived in the area on June 2.
Taylor has worked as a yoga practitioner for 15 years. Attending the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island in the Bahamas was part of her “long-term goal of deepening her practice,” her family said.
This is some information about the retreat from their website:
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat provides an immersion into the daily practices of a yogic lifestyle. We are a traditional yoga ashram for contemporary yoga study and practice. Surrounded by the bounty and beauty of nature, the ashram is a place where people come from around the world to expand and deepen their knowledge of yoga.
We are located across the bay from Nassau, Bahamas, on one of the finest beaches in the world. It is truly an island paradise and a sanctuary of peace and natural beauty. With its pristine white sand beaches, crystal blue waters and five and a half acres of lush tropical gardens, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat provides the ideal environment for practice, rest, and rejuvenation.
The retreat is located near the famous Atlantis resort.
“I heard from Taylor Tuesday, that was the last time Taylor had sent me pictures of Taylor in the Atlantic ocean, saying, ‘I miss you, mom. I miss you. Look, I’m at the beach,’ ” Colette said of last speaking with her daughter on June 18.
Taylor was reported missing by the retreat organizers when she did not show up for a class on June 20.
A young lady called me and said, ‘Have you heard from Taylor?’ I was shocked because she was supposed to be at the yoga retreat. The caller then said Taylor hadn’t shown up for yoga classes,” Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore recounted according to ABC News.
“I believe Taylor is in danger because she was eager to share her yoga retreat experience with others upon her return,” Colette said.
Once Taylor was reported missing, her friends looked through images and videos of the retreat group but did not see her in any of them.
On June 26, Taylor’s cell phone was found in the ocean. Other belongings were also found at the time.
“We have conducted extensive investigation into the matter,” Royal Bahamas Police Force Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said in a press conference on the day the phone was found. “Our priority is to find Taylor and to find Taylor in good health.”
Chief Superintendent Skippings said police had utilized drones, search-and-rescue dogs and divers in the investigation. They were also working with Casey’s family, checking CCTV cameras and interviewing retreat attendees.
Only areas between the yoga retreat and Atlantis were searched, according to a statement from the family. The Atlantis security team were the ones who reviewed all CCTV footage.
Emily said ‘We were told that a description of Taylor was provided to Atlantis security and that they were the ones who reviewed the footage. What we took this to mean is that the detectives themselves did not review the footage.’
Taylor’s accommodation for the retreat had been a tent. Her family have said that after she disappeared, the police left the tent open to the public instead of treating it like a crime scene.
On June 27, Colette’s team went to get Taylor’s belongings back. They retrieved her Bible, he teacher training coursebook, a picture of Jesus, affirmation cards, her yoga mat, books including the titles ‘We Do This Until We Free Us’ and ‘All the Black Girls are Activists’, essential oils, toiletries, a sketchpad with her artwork, yoga pants, flip flops and shirts.
Colette said that the scene seemed largely unprocessed by police. She said their visit to the retreat was ‘deeply unsettling.;
Emily Williams, a close friend of Taylor’s, went with Colette to the ashram. She said ‘It became apparent to us when we met with the leaders that they were struggling to keep a linear and cohesive narrative regarding Taylor’s disappearance.’
Colette said they were advised by police to not speak to any of the retreat guests. Colette has said that they believe maintaining the tranquility and comfort of the guests was being prioritised over investigating Taylor’s disappearance.
Colette said ‘We had to beg to talk to the students, but then I feel like they were told what to say and not to say.’
‘My impression is that the retreat is cultish, and students were being coerced to obey them, even if that meant holding back information about my child missing.’
Emily said that there were no missing persons posters of Taylor at the retreat and the police station’s wall of missing people did also not include Taylor.
Several retreat participants have since contacted Colette and have said that they were never informed about Taylor being missing and about the investigation. Due to safety concerns, those participants decided to leave of their own accord.
National Security Minister Wayne Munroe told reporters that the FBI was involved, but US Embassy officials told Colette and Emily otherwise.
Emily said ‘It was explained to us several times that the only involvement is that the legal attache from the US Embassy in Nassau is observing parts of the investigation. She is not leading the investigation, and to our knowledge, is not advising investigators.’
According to Ram Soskin, the manager of the retreat, on June 17, a few days before Taylor vanished, an unidentified man with a walkie-talking was seen walking the same area where Taylor’s tent was.
One of the retreat participants said that she was approached by a stranger on the same day that Taylor vanished. She said she was sitting alone at the beach when the man approached her. He was wearing a Celtics baseball cap and was dressed in black. He said he was from Chicago and was interested in taking a yoga class. He then followed the woman onto retreat property. As far as we can tell, this man has not yet been identified.
Raquel Ramotar is acquainted with the area where Taylor was last thought to be and remembers it as private property but dangerous and treacherous.
“That place should be investigated. The ocean in the back of that retreat is a mystery. It is breathtaking but when you walk into it, the drop below is deep and the sand sinks. I also [smell] a stench as you walk past the retreat and the homes surrounding it.”
Colette and Emily have had to return back to the US. Colette said ‘I had to return home without her. This is every mother’s worst nightmare. I felt an urgent need to return because without US Government support, we may never find out what happened to my Taylor.’
“Taylor always calls me, keeps in touch. Taylor sent me beautiful pictures from the Bahamas, Taylor in the ocean,” Colette said to ABC News. “We want Taylor home. We need Taylor in our lives. We miss Taylor.”
The US State Department in January issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Americans traveling to the Bahamas, warning them to “exercise increased caution” due to crime.
The advisory notes the majority of crime occurs on the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence. It adds that violent crime, including burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults, impact both tourist and non-tourist areas.
SOURCE LIST
https://people.com/taylor-casey-missing-bahamas-yoga-retreat-8669011
https://www.essence.com/news/taylor-casey-disappearance-bahamas
https://abc7chicago.com/post/taylor-casey-missing-bahamas-new-photos-released-search/15027955
Well u left out until the very end that they were transgender. That right there is a huge indication of what may have happened to them. Bahamian’s are known to be extremely homophobic.