Disappearance: 

On Sunday evening, August 17, 2025, Kayla was last seen at her Maxville home. Her family filed a missing person report with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Monday, August 18, after she could not be located. JSO has since declared that she “may be in danger” and has asked the public for assistance in finding her.

Physical Description: 

• Height: 5′8″
• Weight: ~250 lbs
• Hair: Blonde
• Eyes: Green
• Last seen wearing: Black romper, brown shoes, and glasses

Sources:

• Facebook Profile:  Bailey’s Facebook, she describes herself as a business owner and digital creator.
• Business’s website:  fohhphotography.com, Bailey is described as a Jacksonville photographer and a mother of five who began her business journey in October 2013
• Facebook Page:  Find Kayla Bailey
• Jacksonville Sheriffs Office JSO
• We are the Essentials Nonprofit Organization
• Nextdoor.com App

Timeline:

January 2011

• Kayla first met Joshua Bailey

March 17, 2012

• Kayla and Joshua were married

October 2013

• Kayla launched her own business, FOHH Photography, a traveling newborn and family photography studio based in Jacksonville. She specialized in maternity, newborn, and family portraiture, offering in-home sessions with full studio equipment. Her work is known for its minimalist, classic style, and she built a reputation as both a creative professional and a trusted presence in the lives of her clients.

May 2022

• Kayla reports she “felt sexually violated” by Joshua at their home in Orange Park, FL (4047 Pebblebrook Circle).
• When she called him a rapist, he allegedly attacked her, punching her multiple times down the right side of her body.
• Joshua then lived in his car for seven days

November 29, 2022

• At Kayla’s grandmother’s home (5756 Blackthorn Rd), Joshua banged on the door, yelling that she had kidnapped the children.
• He shouted harassing comments in the street.
• Both Kayla and Joshua called police (JSO Case #702363)

November 30, 2022 (Morning)

• Joshua went to one of their children’s schools, attempting to collect absence reports to “build a case” against Kayla.
• He harassed parents and the principal; the school called police to trespass him, but he left before officers arrived (JSO Case #705110)

November 30, 2022 – 11:30 AM

• Kayla returned home (8710 Maxville Blvd) with her mother, grandmother, and their five children.
• Joshua had hidden his vehicle in the backyard under blankets, carpets, an air mattress, and children’s toys.
• He stormed out, ordered them off the property, and claimed it was his house.
• He attempted to pull Kayla out of her vehicle, hit her in the face and cheek, and ripped her glasses off.
• He later emerged with an axe, chased them down the road, and threatened to shoot her and destroy her car if she returned.
• Police were called; Joshua was arrested at the home (JSO Case #705535).
• Inside the house, damage was found:
• Axe marks on the front door lock.
• Broken glass back door.
• Ketchup smeared on a photo of Kayla, a diaper, and her business tag to resemble blood.
• Clothes scattered, doors broken, and a hammer left in his van

December 1, 2022

• Kayla filed the Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence in Duval County Court.
• She requested exclusive possession of the marital home, temporary full custody of the children, and child support.
• She also reported Joshua’s drug, alcohol, and mental health problems, including a past Baker Act proceeding and failure to take prescribed medications

August 17, 2025

• Late Evening (exact time unknown)
  Kayla Bailey, 34, was last seen at her home in Maxville, Duval County.
• Outfit: Black romper, brown shoes, glasses
• Physical description: 5′8″, ~250 lbs, blonde hair, green eyes
• She had recently returned home after leaving for a short period due to domestic disputes, but had been back for about a week.

August 18, 2025

• Morning
  When Kayla could not be located, her family filed a missing person report with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).
  JSO begins their initial investigation.
• Daytime (approx. 9 AM–5 PM)
  JSO canvassed the immediate neighborhood around her home in Maxville. They also checked places she was known to frequent, including the Jacksonville Public Library, but no signs of her were discovered.
• Evening
  The search continued with law enforcement contacting family members and collecting statements. Her five children were spoken to as part of the inquiry.

August 19, 2025

• Early Morning (approx. 5:45 AM)
  One of Kayla’s daughters, who was half-asleep, reported possibly seeing Kayla standing silently in a room of the house. Kayla did not speak, and the child later could not confirm if this was real or a dreamlike memory.
• Morning
  JSO increased their public efforts to locate Kayla. Officers returned to canvass the area again and followed up on leads but found no verified sightings.
• 3:46 PM: We are Essentials asking for information: if you were in the Maxville/301 area yesterday morning, please check your dash cams and home surveillance cameras for any potential sightings. If you see her, please call her by name and take a photo. Source
• 5:06 PM Press Release from JSO Source
  The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officially declared that Kayla “may be in danger.”
• They shared her photo, physical description, and last known outfit with the media and public.
• Community members were urged to call 904-630-0500 with any information.
• Note: Sunday night is when the complaint who reported Bailey missing had last seen her. There have been unconfirmed sightings, but we are sharing the time reported to us.
• Evening
  Local media (News4JAX, First Coast News) reported widely on her case, emphasizing her role as a mother of five and photographer. Her story began circulating heavily on social media.
• 10:22 PM: Joshua Bailey, 40, was booked into the jail at about 10:22 p.m. Tuesday on charges of violation of injunction for protection against domestic violence and violation of probation/community control. Joshua Bailey’s arrest is unrelated to his wife being reported missing.

August 20, 2025

• Earlier in the morning: Detectives receive a tip.
• 11:00 AM: Kayla Bailey was found alive. Kayla Bailey has been located SAFE in the woods earlier this morning. JSO Missing Persons Sergeant Michael Monts and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Gary Kuehner are speaking about the joint effort search and how we were able to find her alive. Source
• She was lying on the ground just off the trail when the rescuers walked up to her.
• She was with no water, no food and no shelter in the Florida heat. “Imagine somebody that’s been out in the weather that we’ve been having for the past two days with no water, no food, no shelter, that is the condition that she was found in,”  Source
• Detectives believe she was there on her own.
• Joshua Bailey, was arrested Tuesday night on “totally unrelated to the missing persons investigation.”  Source
• Mother of Kayla Searching Source

Additional Notes

• Personal Background: Kayla Bailey is a professional newborn/family photographer who has run her own business in Jacksonville since October 2013. She is also active on social media as a digital creator.
• Family Situation: Mother of five children. Family members have been cooperating with investigators and urging the public to help bring her home.

Summary

• Sunday, Aug 17 (late evening): Last confirmed sighting at home.
• Monday, Aug 18 (morning): Missing person report filed.
• Monday, Aug 18 (daytime–evening): JSO canvassed home and local spots; no sign.
• Tuesday, Aug 19 (5:45 AM): Daughter may have seen Kayla, unconfirmed.
• Tuesday, Aug 19 (daytime): JSO declared her “may be in danger,” launched public alert.
• Tuesday, Aug 19 (evening): Media coverage expanded, case circulated online.
• Joshua Bailey, said her phone last pinged at a Sunoco gas station on U.S. 301 in Maxville around 6:39 a.m

Key Points

• Kayla had a long, documented history of violence, threats, and police involvement with Joshua Bailey dating back years before her disappearance.
• The 2022 injunction highlights severe escalating violence, witnessed by their children.
• Just before her disappearance in August 2025, Joshua was arrested for domestic violence-related violations, though JSO insists it is not connected to her missing status.

September 8, 2024

• Kayla Bailey has gone missing for a second time, she was reported missing by her brother and grandmother. Bailey was previously reported missing on August 18, and police asked the public for help, saying they believed she could be in danger. She was found on August 20 in the woods. Her mother said police identified her when they saw her laying on the ground kicking her feet. Bailey’s husband was arrested for violating a restraining order she had against him. He was still in jail Sunday when she went missing again.
• Her brother asked her if she would like to go to the store with him that day. He said no, so he left the home, leaving Bailey and her grandmother in the living room. He told police that when he returned, Bailey was gone and the grandmother was asleep.