ACTIVE SEARCH SD - Serenity Dennard, 9, Children’s Home Society, Pennington County, 3 Feb 2019 #2

[PommyMommy]

Forgive me if this was mentioned, but could the other child who ran have been a 'decoy' so that Serenity could run away and be picked up on the road ( a pre-planned escape) ?
Maybe by a well-meaning relative or family friend who felt she didn't belong there?
Surely they would have found her by now if she had succumbed to the cold as she wouldn't have gotten that far in the freezing temperatures!
Who visited her recently?
JMO

I'm guessing she had a visit with family the day before she disappeared.

Sheriff's office provides new photo, poster of Serenity Dennard
The Pennington County Sheriff's Office is circulating a new picture and missing person flyer of Serenity Dennard, the 9-year-old who has been missing since Feb. 3.

According to social media posts from the sheriff's office, the photo was taken on Feb. 2, the day before she ran away from staff at the Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville.

 

[SkipperKey3]

Forgive me if this was mentioned, but could the other child who ran have been a 'decoy' so that Serenity could run away and be picked up on the road ( a pre-planned escape) ?
Maybe by a well-meaning relative or family friend who felt she didn't belong there?
Surely they would have found her by now if she had succumbed to the cold as she wouldn't have gotten that far in the freezing temperatures!
Who visited her recently?
JMO

The idea that the first child was a decoy has been brought up before. It seems pretty unlikely, although nothing is outside of the realm of possibility.
It does appear that her family visited her the day before, because the last picture was on the day before, and it looks like she was holding her little sister in her lap. (Not positive about that, though.) They would be who she would most naturally have gone off with, but she didn't.
As for why they haven't found her if she had succumbed to the cold, LE has said that it is very difficult to search the hills nearby and there are tons of places she could have hidden (or fallen into?) and not yet be found. Very rough terrain, very cold weather, and a fair amount of snow since then. That makes it pretty easy to miss those little nooks and crannies, etc. For example, somebody or something could walk by tens of down trees on the steep hillside and not realize that something is tucked up on next to them on the other side. And no, it is not easy in the best of conditions to search that much area thoroughly.

 

[SkipperKey3]

The couple were cutting wood at Foster Gulch. They spoke with a staff member from the Children's Home but they did not see Serenity.

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts
The couple that the sheriff's office was initially looking for hadn't seen Dennard, but a staff member who was looking for her, Whelchel said.

Investigators seek couple that might have seen missing girl
The couple, according to the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, was cutting wood around Foster Gulch and South Rockerville Road. They spoke with Children’s Home staff Sunday around the same time that the girl ran away from the home.

And isn't Foster Gulch to the south and east? According to reports, she ran either north or west, unless they were not clear enough about where she ran up into the hills. That report said she ran "across the road and up into the hills", which would indicate roughly west.

 

[ilovechili]

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts
When search and rescue personnel arrived in the early afternoon last Sunday to search for 9-year-old Serenity Dennard near the Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville, there was little snow on the ground, said Willie Whelchel, chief deputy of the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

"There would have been no footprints in the snow because we didn't have any," he said. The snow began falling mid-afternoon, and would have covered up evidence of Dennard's trail, such as overturned leaves.

"Quite frankly, the snow didn't help us with this," Whelchel said of the fresh snow that fell after Dennard went missing and throughout the week. "It makes it harder for the dogs, it makes it harder for ground folks to be searching obviously because it would be very easy to go right by something."

Thank you. I truly appreciate it Pommy.

 

[PommyMommy]

And isn't Foster Gulch to the south and east? According to reports, she ran either north or west, unless they were not clear enough about where she ran up into the hills. That report said she ran "across the road and up into the hills", which would indicate roughly west.

Right. So, I don't think Foster Gulch plays into this at all - it was just where the couple was cutting wood that day.

Google Maps

 

[human]

They have a set protocol. Two adults to escort between 4-6 kids.

One kid had already ran, and a staff member went after him. When Serenity ran, the protocol was for the remaining staff member to stay with the other kids and call for help.

I couldn't work there, my instinct would have been to haul my butt after the kid who was heading towards the road.

It's quite a ways from the buildings to the road, at least 300 feet.

There are tons of things that make no sense and I'm trying very hard to not let my own feelings towards the Home interfere

You would leave the other kids alone?

 

[SkipperKey3]

Right. So, I don't think Foster Gulch plays into this at all - it was just where the couple was cutting wood that day.

Google Maps

That looks to be well outside the 1-mile radius that they started searching, and in the entirely wrong direction. I wonder what made LE look to question them? And I wonder how they saw searchers looking for Serenity that same day, if they were that far away? Unless maybe the gulch runs up in that direction, but it doesn't look like it would be that close.

 

[Hecallsmeraquel]

Good morning girl. Checking again this morning as well. We would all like to see her found. My prayers continue as well.



This is how I think. Each and every day we hear of such amazing new technologies. Yet a need to find a child is hampered by this, that and the other thing. What is it? Red tape, it takes a year to get authorization, liability waivers, etc.? Expense? Weather? Heck people live in far colder climates. I am being half sarcastic and half serious, I would not even doubt that things like that play in. And again I guess I am armchair quarterbacking which truly is not fair. My hope is that such things are looked into or added, as you say CCTV and more, to avoid such things in the future. Maybe just a guard 24/7 outside the building we could crowd fund to take after any runner who is as fast as a superhero and as well intentioned as a superhero--trying for some positive thoughts this a.m.

Police agencies hamper these efforts period. I choose not to elaborate beyond saying that if they wanted it done they could have it done. Sadly their wants mean more than her needs.

 

[SkipperKey3]

Good morning girl. Checking again this morning as well. We would all like to see her found. My prayers continue as well.



This is how I think. Each and every day we hear of such amazing new technologies. Yet a need to find a child is hampered by this, that and the other thing. What is it? Red tape, it takes a year to get authorization, liability waivers, etc.? Expense? Weather? Heck people live in far colder climates. I am being half sarcastic and half serious, I would not even doubt that things like that play in. And again I guess I am armchair quarterbacking which truly is not fair. My hope is that such things are looked into or added, as you say CCTV and more, to avoid such things in the future. Maybe just a guard 24/7 outside the building we could crowd fund to take after any runner who is as fast as a superhero and as well intentioned as a superhero--trying for some positive thoughts this a.m.

The coldness of the weather is only part of the issue. The hills are steep and the footing uncertain to treacherous in the best of conditions, from what they have said. Add the fresh snow and it because extremely poor footing in much of the surrounding hills. Even the dogs were getting hurt.

 

[moonriverfarm]

Has the family made a public statement?

 

[ilovechili]

Police agencies hamper these efforts period. I choose not to elaborate beyond saying that if they wanted it done they could have it done. Sadly their wants mean more than her needs.

I often think it is the "almighty" dollar, politics, boards, PR, lawsuits, crime statistics, bureaucracy, etc. Same idea probably. I like to believe it is not always the case, or I try to anyhow, not always easy. In this case, it does appear LE was not called immediately.

 

[jewelsmac]

Children's Home Society of South Dakota commemorates 125 years of helping families - KNBN NewsCenter1

Residential Treatment and Education | Children's Home Society of South Dakota

thanks . Fairly large facility.

 

[ilovechili]

The coldness of the weather is only part of the issue. The hills are steep and the footing uncertain to treacherous in the best of conditions, from what they have said. Add the fresh snow and it because extremely poor footing in much of the surrounding hills. Even the dogs were getting hurt.

Maybe it is just simply the hope expecting to see things like with the amazing cave rescues and more, this amazing result, and a need to believe in all hope, I do not know. I think maybe we hope of course every bit of every technology and every chance is used or exhausted with anyone. Yet they can't put searchers or dogs at risk either. We certainly are not there to know or a part of the effort. I try hard not to judge, difficult though at times because one tries to hope for the child, the family, a miracle, etc.

 

[jewelsmac]

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts
When search and rescue personnel arrived in the early afternoon last Sunday to search for 9-year-old Serenity Dennard near the Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville, there was little snow on the ground, said Willie Whelchel, chief deputy of the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

"There would have been no footprints in the snow because we didn't have any," he said. The snow began falling mid-afternoon, and would have covered up evidence of Dennard's trail, such as overturned leaves.

"Quite frankly, the snow didn't help us with this," Whelchel said of the fresh snow that fell after Dennard went missing and throughout the week. "It makes it harder for the dogs, it makes it harder for ground folks to be searching obviously because it would be very easy to go right by something."

This looks an awful lot like she got into a car or was hiding

 

[SkipperKey3]

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts
When search and rescue personnel arrived in the early afternoon last Sunday to search for 9-year-old Serenity Dennard near the Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville, there was little snow on the ground, said Willie Whelchel, chief deputy of the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

"There would have been no footprints in the snow because we didn't have any," he said. The snow began falling mid-afternoon, and would have covered up evidence of Dennard's trail, such as overturned leaves.

"Quite frankly, the snow didn't help us with this," Whelchel said of the fresh snow that fell after Dennard went missing and throughout the week. "It makes it harder for the dogs, it makes it harder for ground folks to be searching obviously because it would be very easy to go right by something."

This looks an awful lot like she got into a car or was hiding

I think the bold refers to the fact that there wasn't any snow, not that there wasn't any footprints. "There would have been no footprints in the snow, because we didn't have any [snow]."
The lack of footprints doesn't mean she was in a car or in hiding, it means there was no snow in which to leave footprints.
It is possible, however, that she may have been hiding.

 

[PommyMommy]

That looks to be well outside the 1-mile radius that they started searching, and in the entirely wrong direction. I wonder what made LE look to question them? And I wonder how they saw searchers looking for Serenity that same day, if they were that far away? Unless maybe the gulch runs up in that direction, but it doesn't look like it would be that close.

They didn't see Serenity, but they were in the area and may have witnessed other activity. I would assume that LE wanted to ask them about any people and/or vehicles they remember from that morning, their contact with the staff member, what time that occurred, etc.
MOO

 

[ms_x_to_the_m]

I am such a skeptic. I dont believe this story. Part of me thinks something else happened. Just not sure what. But I dont trust almost anyone when it comes to kids. It takes but a second for a child to disappear.

All moo, not making accusations, just an overreactive mind.

 

[IceIce9]

I am such a skeptic. I dont believe this story. Part of me thinks something else happened. Just not sure what. But I dont trust almost anyone when it comes to kids. It takes but a second for a child to disappear.

All moo, not making accusations, just an overreactive mind.

Is there any hard evidence like video that shows Serenity actually running away? Could she have become injured and someone taken her away in a vehicle?

Just thinking out loud and remembering other missing child cases where the facts didn’t add up.

MOO

 

[Fernymom]

I’d imagine 69 lbs is much closer to accurate than 96. It always bothers me with kids that they never have accurate stats because if I’m looking for a 4’7” 96 lb kid, then I’m checking out every obese kid I see hoping to find Serenity when in reality based on her photos she looks a healthy weight. But how many people question the accuracy? We have an obesity epidemic in the US so no one thinks to question 96 lbs.

I was questioning that too. My daughter is also 9 yrs old, same height 4’7” as Serenity, and 70 lbs. And my daughter still has some baby fat on her. Serenity does not appear overweight in these pics, so I am assuming it’s incorrect.

 

[jewelsmac]

I think the bold refers to the fact that there wasn't any snow, not that there wasn't any footprints. "There would have been no footprints in the snow, because we didn't have any [snow]."
The lack of footprints doesn't mean she was in a car or in hiding, it means there was no snow in which to leave footprints.
It is possible, however, that she may have been hiding.

Sorry, my comment is not about the snow. The fact that she was not missing for a very long time before people were “looking” for her is what I was observing. The fact that she could disappear so quickly is what I meant. Sorry if I was confusing