(NewsNation) — Nearly three weeks after Chicago resident Taylor Casey went missing from a Bahamas yoga retreat, her family says investigators have gone quiet.
Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore, fears the case isn’t being handled respectfully and that her daughter is being discriminated against.
“My idea really saddens me when I think about it,” Seymore said during a Monday appearance on “Banfield.” “I feel like my child had two strikes against her when she went to the yoga retreat. One is that she’s Black, and the other is that she’s transgender.”
Casey has not been seen since the evening of June 19, when she disappeared from a yoga retreat at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, where she was taking classes to become a yoga instructor.
Casey’s family returned to Chicago after traveling to the Bahamas following Casey’s disappearance, but Seymore says there have been no updates since then.
Family friend Emily Williams told “Banfield” there’s been miscommunication from authorities regarding who is actually working on the investigation.
“The police force needs to invite the FBI to actually lead the investigation. That’s what needs to happen,” Williams said.
The 41-year-old was visiting Paradise Island as part of her interest in yoga. Casey had taken the trip to acquire additional certification.
NewsNation’s Urja Sinha contributed to this report.
