The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter 

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

Three months after her mysterious disappearance, police yesterday said they plan to contact the family of missing American woman Taylor Casey soon about their investigation.

Chief Superintendent of Police Chrislyn Skippings told The Tribune on Friday that police intend to contact Ms Casey’s family but did not provide a specific timeframe.

She was responding to questions from The Tribune on the status of the search.

Ms Casey, 42, a native of Chicago, was attending a month-long yoga retreat at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas. She was reported missing on June 20 after failing to attend morning classes at the retreat on Paradise Island.

Friends and family of Ms Casey have been critical of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s handling of the investigation. The family has requested that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) take over, expressing a lack of confidence in local authorities.

CBS News Chicago reported on September 19th  that Ms Casey’s friend, Jacqueline Boyd, said there had been no updates from local authorities. The family believes discrimination may have affected search efforts because Ms Casey is a transgender woman.

In an interview with CBS news Chicago  Ms Casey's mother, Colette Seymore, said something was "off" before her daughter vanished. 

"I talked to Taylor on the 18th, Taylor had called me and mentioned to me it was hard, it was hard at the yoga retreat," Ms Seymre said. "Something was off, I don't know if Taylor didn't want to alarm me, but I just felt like something was off." 

CBS News Chicago also reported that the FBI had confirmed local Bahamian authorities are leading the investigation, but the agency remains ready to assist.

In July, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said police were unable to access Ms Casey’s phone, which was retrieved from the ocean. Despite assistance from US partners, the phone’s exposure to water has made it difficult to extract information.

Police have used drones, Ms Casey’s phone, and interviewed people in their search, but efforts have so far been unsuccessful.

Last month, an anonymous donor offered a $10,000 reward for information regarding Ms Casey’s disappearance.

A Facebook page dedicated to the missing woman, “Find Taylor Casey”, said last week: “We are hopeful that this reward will help us to make progress in finding our loved one. Together, we will bring Taylor home.”