Deceased/Not Found NY - Saniyya Dennis, 19, SUNY College Student, Buffalo, 24 Apr 2021

[mlhenn]

Family of 40 Cal’s Missing Daughter Disputes DA’s Suicide Ruling

According to the NYAN, the family has challenged some of the evidence that has led investigators to believe Dennis killed herself after traveling to Niagara Falls. The family claims they’ve yet to see video footage of Dennis leaving the Buffalo State College campus, and were only shown a photo still. They also say a number of business near Niagara Falls have refused to release their security cameras that may have captured Dennis traveling in the area the night of April 24.

“We made a request for five companies on Old Falls by telephone, email and social media,” said Sherri Jefferson, the executive director of the African American Juvenile Justice Project. “We went to ask for assistance for surveillance videos and no one contacted us to say they had a video. Nothing. I gave a list of the 10 small hotels because I thought, ‘If she’s abducted, then she might be at some of the smaller hotels. That’s where they bring a lot of the girls for sex trafficking.”

A spokesperson for the Erie County District Attorney said authorities are still searching for Dennis, but insist all evidence suggests she died by suicide.

“The New York State Park Police continue to conduct physical patrols searches in the area twice a day, “ the spokesperson said. “Also, they are also conducting aerial searches as the weather permits.”

 

[JerseyGirl]

Family of missing Buffalo State student to hold birthday balloon launch | wgrz.com

The family plans to gather at 2 PM Monday at the Tesla Statue in Niagara Falls State Park to continue to push for answers.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/family-of-saniyya-dennis-believes-shes-still-out-there

Her family, from the Bronx gathered to celebrate Saniyya Dennis’ 20th birthday Monday.

“As her mother, I would like to have a better understanding of what happened,” said Latisha Dennis, Saniyya’s mother.

Her family says since no body has been discovered, Saniyya is still a missing person.

“I know she’s out there somewhere. I want to wish her a Happy 20th Birthday,” said her mom.

 

[lindamichelle1]

DA Says Missing College Student Died by Suicide at Niagara Falls After Break Up


DA Says Missing College Student Died by Suicide at Niagara Falls After Break Up

A New York college student missing for nearly two weeks is now believed to have killed herself at Niagara Falls after her boyfriend broke up with her, police said. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said investigators followed a digital trail to determine that SUNY Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis was distraught and talking about suicide before she left her dorm and took two buses to the falls. “It appears that this poor girl took her own life,” Flynn said. K-9 dogs found her scent in the park there, and she also took a Snapchat selfie with the falls in the background. Flynn said she told a friend she was going to jump off a bridge, but no body has been found. “Without a body, without an autopsy being done, we’re never going to definitively know,” he said, according to The Buffalo News. “All I can do is present you with what I have and what I presented... everything that I had... to her parents.”

 

[Sakeia]

That is not a good sign. I would bet someone tossed her phone in hopes the falls would destroy it. The water there is pretty much not searchable due to rapids. I dont think they would put a body in there as it would likely be seen going over the water or get caught up in rocks.

I’ve always wondered about her cell phone seeing as they say the last photo she took of herself was on Snapchat then her family says they have never seen any of the text messages she put out which is odd because they can get those records without having the actual cell phone

 

[Sakeia]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)


She has been entered into NamUs.

View attachment 295259

Circumstances of Disappearance
She is a missing college student from SUNY Buffalo State College.

May be in need of medical attention.

She may be in the local area or may travel to Yonkers.


Clothing
Last seen wearing black pants, black hoodie, yellow shirt, black and white checked Van sneakers, carrying a black back pack

Hold up she had a black back pack with her has that never been recovered as well? Most people committing suicide don’t take items with them why would she jump over the bridge with a back pack atp I’m starting to think she may have been on the verge of suicide but that hour long ride changed her mind she probably took in some sites and cried it out a bit then realizing I took the last bus she probably attempted to walk and possibly ran into foul play it really baffles me that she would take a back pack of stuff yet they say she is seen on video throwing items away in front of her residence hall that just throws me off those who are ready to go all the way leave everything behind and take nothing

 

[Sakeia]

The post has multiple pictures, showing the falls lit up as dark blue/turquoise and pink (it looks like two distinct blues, but it could be camera funkiness).

That would mean she either visited at least two different days or one is a stock picture.

ETA: Can different areas be lit different colors? It looks like two angles from the same location, the pink is on the "right," so maybe it is the same day. But it does look like shot from a "regular" POV, nothing professional/stock image-like about it.

The Niagara Falls photos we see are from November she went missing in April the photo she supposedly took the night she was there has never been released to her family or public they say they have no video no pictures of her being there that night just her cell phone pinned from the towers around I was thinking maybe

The post has multiple pictures, showing the falls lit up as dark blue/turquoise and pink (it looks like two distinct blues, but it could be camera funkiness).

That would mean she either visited at least two different days or one is a stock picture.

ETA: Can different areas be lit different colors? It looks like two angles from the same location, the pink is on the "right," so maybe it is the same day. But it does look like shot from a "regular" POV, nothing professional/stock image-like about it.

the pics we see are from November the pic she actually took that night have not been released to the public or her family as well as the video footage of her at the bus depot downtown

 

[Sakeia]

View attachment 295588 View attachment 295589 View attachment 295590

It wasn't on Snapchat, it was Instagram. @lynmaree

These are photos from November she went missing in April these are not from that night it is said in other articles the last known photo she took of her self was on Snapchat and the falls were behind her yet that photo as well as the video footage from the downtown depot have never been released to the public or her family LE has only provided a still image of her and they say that’s from an elevator maybe if we could see the photos from that actual night we could provide some type of light to this case it’s going on a yr now how long does it take to release photos and videos if we’re frustrated I can only imagine how her family feels I pray we can help them soon

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I was thinking about this case recently and wondered if Saniyya's body had ever been recovered? I know that her family didn't want to accept that the college student might have taken her own life, but it probably is the most likely scenario. JMO

 

[DustyDog]

I was thinking about this case recently and wondered if Saniyya's body had ever been recovered? I know that her family didn't want to accept that the college student might have taken her own life, but it probably is the most likely scenario. JMO

I am local to this case, and have heard nothing of her body being recovered. I do not believe she has been found.

 

[WNYer]

Saniyya Dennis is still missing

 

[SimplyCass]

I was thinking about this case recently and wondered if Saniyya's body had ever been recovered? I know that her family didn't want to accept that the college student might have taken her own life, but it probably is the most likely scenario. JMO

I didn't want to get too deep into it, but...if she jumped and ended in an area behind the falls, where there's little or no chance of the water disturbing it, her body may never be recovered. They found two bodies when American Falls was diverted in 1969. (source) They have not diverted it since.

If she jumped:
- from American Falls: No known survivors going over American Falls.
- from Horseshoe Falls: also usually fatal, but some recorded instances of survival. most suicide attempts are on that side. (Wikipedia)

A cell phone ping at 1:00 a.m. was at the Tesla monument, which is closer to the American Falls side, but the phone went off-network at 1:20 a.m., and it's a quick walk.

As always, only speculation/my opinion only.

 

[MDATCA]

I didn't want to get too deep into it, but...if she jumped and ended in an area behind the falls, where there's little or no chance of the water disturbing it, her body may never be recovered. They found two bodies when American Falls was diverted in 1969. (source) They have not diverted it since.

If she jumped:
- from American Falls: No known survivors going over American Falls.
- from Horseshoe Falls: also usually fatal, but some recorded instances of survival. most suicide attempts are on that side. (Wikipedia)

A cell phone ping at 1:00 a.m. was at the Tesla monument, which is closer to the American Falls side, but the phone went off-network at 1:20 a.m., and it's a quick walk.

As always, only speculation/my opinion only.

It would take more than 20 minutes to walk from the Teslamonument down to The Rainbow Bridge, cross the bridge and walk back uptrend Canadian side to the falls. Not to mention you couldn't enter Canada at the time due to covid restrictions qithouta test being done. There are also cameras along the bridge and along the walking route.

 

[SimplyCass]

It would take more than 20 minutes to walk from the Teslamonument down to The Rainbow Bridge, cross the bridge and walk back uptrend Canadian side to the falls. Not to mention you couldn't enter Canada at the time due to covid restrictions qithouta test being done. There are also cameras along the bridge and along the walking route.

Ah. This is where i feel uneasy digging deeper into this. Where are the typical..."jumping off" points? I was assuming that one could climb the railing at Terrapin Point and jump there, into Horseshoe Falls. Would that 'stun' someone more? Since she walked onto Goat Island on 1st St bridge and wasn't seen on camera heading back, I don't think she would have jumped there.