The mother of Taylor Casey who went missing in the Bahamas said she hid Casey’s male-to-female trans identity because she feared it would delay search efforts.
“The focus was going to be taken off of finding my child, my child being missing and that they were going to put the focus on ‘Oh, Taylor’s transgender,’ which should not be the focus at all,” said Casey’s mother, Colette Seymore. “It should be the focus is finding Taylor, an American, human being citizen that’s missing in the Bahamas.”
Casey, 42, went missing after traveling to the Bahamas to participate in a yoga instructor program at a yoga retreat on June 3.
“Taylor told me, ‘Ma, this is hard,’” Seymore said. “And when Taylor told me that, I just felt something, because Taylor is not a quitter, and Taylor loves yoga and really wanted to do that. I just had this eerie feeling.”
Casey’s cell phone was found in the ocean. Personal belongings were left behind at the retreat.
Monday was the first time friends and family disclosed Casey’s real gender identity.
Bahamian authorities were informed of Casey’s gender identity.
In the Bahamas, homosexuality is still partially banned, according to Human Dignity Trust, a global advocacy group for LGBTQ rights.
Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investigation Division at the Royal Bahamas Police Force, was suspended Friday after his voice notes were released.
“We’re not surprised that Michael Johnson has now been suspended for corruption because we felt that while we were there and we could tell by the way the details weren’t lining up,” family friend Emily Williams said on Thursday.
“If he can be corrupt in that department and take bribes for dropping investigation cases, that just gives me a grave concern about how did you treat my child’s case?” Seymore said. She said police were lackadaisical when she was there. “Nonchalant, lack of urgency, lack of care,” Seymore added.
Williams and Seymore said they left the Bahamas early because “we feared for our safety.”
Casey’s friends and family believe Bahamian police would have shown more urgency if Casey was white and straight.
“Without a doubt. Without a doubt, there would have been way more efforts,” said Seymore, 69. “The investigation would have been done properly, the way it should have been done.
“We’re not going to let this go,” Williams said. “We’re not going to allow them to just push us to the side. I think they thought that that’s what was going to happen. I think they thought that no one would care about Taylor.”
Seymore cried as she spoke to a reporter about how much she loves and misses Casey.
“The pain I felt 42 years ago while birthing you doesn’t compare to the pain I feel today, with you missing out of our lives. The pain, the hurt, the agony is practically killing me,” Seymore said.
