The Memphis Police Department (MPD) has confirmed a woman went missing from the Downtown area after getting on the Island Queen Booze Cruise and disappearing after the boat docked.
MPD issued an urgent alert on Sunday for 21-year-old Tamia Taylor. She was described by MPD as being about 5 feet and 7 inches tall and wearing a beige shirt with white shorts a black jacket and white shoes.
Officers said they spoke with Taylor's mother, who said that she was supposed to come to Memphis, meet with friends and get on the river boat at 300 Riverside Drive at 11:30 p.m. Sept. 9. After originally reporting a friend told police she didn't get on the boat, MPD sent out a statement saying she did get on the boat and disappeared after it docked.
According to MPD, it is unknown if Taylor departed the boat before her friends. Police said they are investigating every possibility of her whereabouts, including the possibility she may have fallen overboard.
However, Memphis Riverboats released a statement Monday saying they have "no reason to believe she could have gone overboard."
On Sunday, Sept. 10, police said the MPD Harbor Patrol Unit and Aviation were called out to search for Taylor as a precautionary measure.
MPD is asking anyone who was on the Island Queen Booze Cruise on Saturday, September 9, from 11:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. Sunday call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-2274 or MPD Missing Persons at (901) 636-4479 with any information that could help find Taylor.
A body was found by police on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River, MPD reported on Sept. 23.
MPD said they are currently helping the Crittenden County Sheriff's Department in an investigation.
The identification of this body is undetermined pending the results of an autopsy, according to MPD.
The Dock Ellis Foundation then released a statement saying they are continuing to search for Tamia Taylor with the Taylor family. The statement reads as follows:
"We are asking that the community continues to share and report any possible information that may assist in bringing Tamia home. We are aware that a body was recovered from the Mississippi River on the Arkansas side of the I-40 bridge today around 1 p.m.
Tamia Taylor's mother ask that the community please, don't give up as the individual retrieved today has not been identified, but continue to pray either way.
We may not know if it's Tamia, but it's someone's family member. The search must continue.
The Dock Ellis Foundation will continue to follow up on information, however we will provide what information we can when we are able to do so.
Tamia Taylor's mother is grateful to each of you for all the acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion you have shown."