Family of Chicago woman missing in the Bahamas push authorities to continue searching as they mark her birthday

The family of Taylor Casey, a Chicago woman who has been missing in the Bahamas for nearly a month, gathered Thursday to mark her birthday and to plead with authorities to continue searching for her.

“The pain I felt 42 years ago while birthing you doesn’t compare to the pain I feel on today with you missing out of our lives,” Colette Seymore, Casey’s mother, said during a news conference in downtown Chicago livestreamed by CNN affiliate WLS.

“The pain, the hurt (and) the agony is practically killing me.”

In June, Casey, then 41, traveled to the Bahamas to attend a retreat at Sivananda Ashram Yoga.

She was last seen the evening of June 19 around Paradise Island, a small resort enclave just off the shore of the island of New Providence, the most populous island in the Bahamas, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.

Casey’s friends and family described her as a “fixture of Chicago’s transgender community,” in a news release that was shared Wednesday on a social media account dedicated to her disappearance.

“Taylor’s disappearance has sent shockwaves through Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community,” the release read.

“Taylor’s family and friends are pleading for elected officials, LGBTQ+ leaders and media to elevate her story and pressure elected officials to leverage the federal resources needed to investigate her disappearance.”

During the news conference Thursday, Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of the Brave Space Alliance – a “Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ center” in Chicago – said she believes Casey’s identity as a transgender Black woman is stalling the investigation into her disappearance.

“(We have) trans women whose lives are being discarded, who are being thought of as nothing but an afterthought. And again, here we are – having to apply pressure when it should come as second nature and instinct to do what you know to be right,” Parker said.

“We’re here to say right now, emphatically, resoundingly and loudly that we reject that. Black women matter (and) … Black trans women matter.”

Casey was first reported missing on June 20 when she failed to attend morning yoga classes, CNN previously reported.

Family and friends have been critical of the way police and the retreat center have handled the investigation into her disappearance.

On Thursday, Seymore noted missing person flyers of Casey were not displayed at the Royal Bahamas Police Force Department or at the retreat center.

“How are you looking for my child?” she said. “People have to see that somebody is missing and they never put up posters or anything.”

Authorities said Casey’s cell phone had been found in the water on June 24, but it was unclear how far the location was from the retreat.

“We have conducted extensive investigation into the matter,” Royal Bahamas Police Force Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said during a news conference at the time of the discovery. “Our priority is to find Taylor and to find Taylor in good health.”

Police have utilized drones, search-and-rescue dogs and divers in the investigation, Skippings said.

Amid the investigation into Casey’s disappearance, Michael Johnson, the Royal Bahamas Police Force superintendent in charge of the criminal investigation department, was put on leave pending an investigation, according to a July 5 statement from the police force.

CNN reached out to the police force for comment.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force posted a release Thursday saying they “are aware of an article and video circulating on social media which seeks to imply a correlation between the suspension of (Johnson) and investigations into the missing person, Taylor Casey,” the statement said. “The information is erroneous and unequivocally unrelated to the investigations.”

Emily Williams, a long-time friend of Casey’s, said she traveled to the Bahamas with Casey’s mother to learn more. But upon arriving on the island, Williams said, she knew something was off.

“We weren’t met with caring detectives who wanted to give us an update on where our loved one was. They couldn’t keep details straight, they gave us misinformation and then they tried to push us out,” Williams said during the news conference, adding she and Seymore left early due to feeling “unsafe.”

“They found the phone, but they only found the phone because Taylor’s niece pinged it and gave them the location. They said that they sent out scent dogs, but it came up with nothing. They said that they sent divers and came up with nothing. And what have they done since? We haven’t seen it. They haven’t even reviewed the CCTV footage from the neighboring Atlantis hotel,” Williams continued.

Williams and Seymore say they had to “press” those at the ashram in order to get more information and were not allowed to take pictures or “disturb” guests.

When asked if everyone at the ashram knew of Casey’s disappearance, Williams said the “colonel overseeing the investigation” told them “most, but not all” were aware.

Jonathan Goldbloom, a representative for the ashram, told CNN Thursday they “have been collaborating fully with the police since we reported that Taylor is missing.”

In addition to holding group prayers for Casey, Goldbloom maintained the ashram has provided guests with “regular updates orally and in writing.”

Casey’s missing person flyer is posted on their bulletin board, Goldbloom added.

“Taylor’s family and friends visit(ed) (sic) the ashram on June 26 for approximately six hours, meeting initially with representatives of the Royal Bahamian police, the US Embassy and the ashram,” Goldbloom wrote to CNN.

“During Taylor’s friends and family visit, they were asked to not randomly approach guests. The police were clear with their instruction that all guests must consent to speak with them on their own accord. We announced their presence to Taylor’s classmates and teachers and invited anyone wanting to meet with them to come forward. Many did, and no one intervened in terms of what individuals are to say.”

Casey, who has been practicing yoga for 15 years, went to the yoga retreat “to fulfill a long-term goal of deepening her practice. Eager to return to Chicago, she looked forward to sharing her newfound knowledge and experience with others,” a June 24 release said.

A 2023 report on human rights practices in the Bahamas conducted by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor found “LGBTQI+ individuals faced social stigma and discrimination and did not believe they were adequately protected by authorities.”

The study also found there was “generally low social tolerance for same-sex relationships,” “homophobic epithets were common and socially acceptable,” and a lack of an alternative reporting mechanism of incidents to police and government agents.

Williams mentioned in the news conference that the Royal Bahamian Police Force said they will have an update for Casey’s family and friends by Friday.

“We want that update. It’s been three weeks – we want an update,” she said.

Following the news conference a birthday party was held for Casey, that included balloons, snacks and games.

“Today is your birthday and we all just want to say happy birthday,” Seymore said to her daughter at the start of Thursday’s news conference. “Although, it’s not so happy because you are not here with us.”

CNN’s Rikki Klaus, Amanda Jackson, Jamiel Lynch, Lucy Kafanov, Sara Smart, Carlos Suarez and Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.

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