Bahamian Model Vanishes, NYPD Does Little To Find Her: Boyfriend

UPDATE: This missing person has been found and is safe, the NYPD said Thursday, Dec. 5.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — The missing woman who disappeared from a FiDi hotel is an international fashion model whose boyfriend says the "ball was dropped" when police failed to do anything to find her for three weeks.

Bahamian model Jenelle Hollingsworth, 35, vanished from the Fairfield Marriott at 100 Greenwich St. on Oct. 24 and her boyfriend Chris Bowler says police only recently began to take action.

"[The NYPD] failed to do anything for 3 weeks despite her mum reporting her missing and vulnerable straight away," Bowler said in a Facebook message. "It seems the case is only just being taken seriously."

Hollingsworth — who made headlines in the Bahamas when she won a Nu Woman Magazine television modeling competition in 2011 and was a part of the Caribbean International International Fashion Week — was described by her boyfriend and friend as a kind and vulnerable person.

"I know Jenelle to be a lighthearted, young soul," said Jalan Harris, a friend of Hollingsworth for more than a decade who used to photograph her in the Bahamas where they lived.

"She's always been very pure and transparent, so I'm just worried for her."

Before she disappeared, Hollingsworth had been living in the United Kingdom for about six months with Bowler, he told Patch.

Bowler last saw her at a London airport Oct. 24, before she flew to New York, and has not seen her since, he said.

Hollingworth was supposed to return home to the Bahamas but never arrived, he said.

"I was worried and confused,” Bowler said, "and frustrated that she insisted on travelling [sic] alone and I let her. But had faith in her ability to keep safe."

His frustration has since mounted with police, whom he believes have not tried hard enough to find her.

"Police have made no attempt to track her (on surveillance cameras) after she left (the hotel) Or her possible phone data," said Bowler, who says he flew to New York to help find her.

The NYPD didn't comment on Bowler's frustrations, but NYPD spokesperson Det. Denise Moroney said Hollingsworth was last seen Oct. 24 and said the case wasn't reported to NYPD until Nov. 5.

The model is listed as having mental health issues in the state's Division of Criminal Justice Services missing persons list of vulnerable adults. She was still listed missing Thursday afternoon.

Harris told Patch she remains concerned even though she's taken absences before.

"A part of me feels that maybe she's just kind of off the grid because she does that sometimes," Harris said, but added, "I know people take advantage of people like her, who are just so blissfully nice."

This article has been updated with information from the NYPD.