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

[SkipperKey3]

Where is the nearest house?

The nearest house on the road to the north is a little over a mile away. There is a house about a mile and a half away northeast as the crow flies, but that would require travelling in a straight line through the rough terrain, which isn't possible.

 

[mickey2942]

Far longer than half an hour? The accounts have the staff looking inside for roughly 15 minutes, until she was actually seen outside. At that point, the search shifted to outside, but she was already up on the street when she was spotted, and it took a few minutes after that before the people who spotted her went to find her and couldn't, and the staff went out and also couldn't find her. What makes you think there was no outside search for "far longer than half an hour" given the fact that she was seen outside just 15 minutes after she ran?

As for the creeks, at the time she ran, it was already down to 20 degrees with a brisk wind.

Down to 20 degrees, but there had been a Chinook the day before. Chinook winds can easily melt ice in a creek. Looking at a topo map, there are actually a couple of different roads she could have followed, and there is a creek on the map. I wouldn't be surprised if she did succumb to weather, and predators took care of the rest. There are coyotes, bobcats, and even mountain lions in that area. They take their kill and place it in trees for safety.

Even where I live, which isn't that rural, there are mountain lions here, they hide during the day.

 

[Rocco]

Far longer than half an hour? The accounts have the staff looking inside for roughly 15 minutes, until she was actually seen outside. At that point, the search shifted to outside, but she was already up on the street when she was spotted, and it took a few minutes after that before the people who spotted her went to find her and couldn't, and the staff went out and also couldn't find her. What makes you think there was no outside search for "far longer than half an hour" given the fact that she was seen outside just 15 minutes after she ran?

As for the creeks, at the time she ran, it was already down to 20 degrees with a brisk wind.

According to Accuweather, the temp was in the 30s during the day. Is that not correct?
https://m.accuweather.com/en/us/rockerville-sd/57702/february-weather/2224661?monyr=2/1/2019

 

[SkipperKey3]

According to Accuweather, the temp was in the 30s during the day. Is that not correct?
https://m.accuweather.com/en/us/rockerville-sd/57702/february-weather/2224661?monyr=2/1/2019

The temperature was dropping throughout the day. It was 20-25 with a brisk wind when she ran, and dropped to 0 (with lower wind temps and snow) a few hours later. There was an article that stated the state of the weather throughout the day, and what it was like when she actually ran. The warmest temperatures of the day were very early. It dropped steadily throughout the day.

 

[SkipperKey3]

Down to 20 degrees, but there had been a Chinook the day before. Chinook winds can easily melt ice in a creek. Looking at a topo map, there are actually a couple of different roads she could have followed, and there is a creek on the map. I wouldn't be surprised if she did succumb to weather, and predators took care of the rest. There are coyotes, bobcats, and even mountain lions in that area. They take their kill and place it in trees for safety.

Even where I live, which isn't that rural, there are mountain lions here, they hide during the day.

But even with the warmer temps during the day, the temps dropped below freezing during the night.
And yes, I agree with regard to the predators. But one would think that eventually some sort of evidence would be found - her boots or something.
I think she may have hidden, like she usually does. I thought about where the creek runs under the road, just north of the home, but I would assume that was checked by now. I thought maybe she climbed a tree, but there have been numerous storms with high winds that would have dislodged her. I know that LE has asked the local (as in up the road for several miles) to check their property and buildings thoroughly, in case she took refuge there somehow. That wouldn't have surprised me, but nothing has surfaced. Did she wedge herself under a log in a nook somehow?
I still think the chances of her being abducted is relatively small, with the frigid weather, the storm moving in, and the sparsely traveled road. It's not impossible, but the conditions make it much less likely.
I honestly expected her to be found well before now.

 

[Rocco]

The temperature was dropping throughout the day. It was 20-25 with a brisk wind when she ran, and dropped to 0 (with lower wind temps and snow) a few hours later. There was an article that stated the state of the weather throughout the day, and what it was like when she actually ran. The warmest temperatures of the day were very early. It dropped steadily throughout the day.

So the high that day of 38 was reached very early in the morning and the temp had dropped to 20-25 later in the morning, 11:20am, when she ran? Do I have that right?

 

[PayrollNerd]

Not many thought little Harold the Toddler could climb rough terrain either, but they found him 1/3 a mile from home sitting on a 50’ cliff.

Now, those of us who have ‘No Fear’ type kids know better than to underestimate them. I think that’s where CD/KD are. They know Serenity and her behaviors better than anyone. Serenity has a brilliant mind. She carved a hole in the drywall big enough to squeeze into behind a dresser. She ran off because she thought she was invincible, could outsmart her caretakers, force her way into getting whatever it was that she was after, etc. Her luck ran out, unfortunately. Mother Nature doesn’t discriminate.

What point would it serve for her parents (CD/KD) to organize and interact with the public? They have jobs and young kids, one is a newborn. There are skilled professionals out there searching. No doubt as parents, they feel guilt, sadness and are at a loss as to what to do. I can assure you, they felt that way long before Serenity ran off. They have been grieving the loss of their daughter since before they made the decision to put her in the facility. They’re relying heavily on the skilled professionals to help them thru this painful journey. They don't need interaction with a senator or the general public.

Send us a sign sweet Serenity. Let us bring you home where you belong.

 

[TTF14]

How on earth has this child not been found yet???

 

[Burnt_Biscuits]

@TTF14 Many have theorize that '' someone '' ( no one knows who ) had visited Serenity and told her to meet them at the gate at a certain time... this is totally speculation... and picked her up...

 

[bmacmillan1]

Lynne is starting to remind me of the Boy Scout who wanted to do a good deed so helped an old lady cross the street. The problem was, the old lady didn't want to cross the street.

I know what you're meaning, Rocco, but as well, finding your Boy Scout and indignant old lady analogy highly amusing imagining that scenario...

Not meaning to take away the seriousness of trying to find Serenity.

 

[IceIce9]

I imagine there had to be plans made what to do with the children and who was going to search. I would hope there was some organization and discussion as to how to proceed.

A place like this should have a plan in place for this very situation. There should be no need for discussion about what to do with the children.

Just like fire drills, it should be practiced so that everyone is aware of the standard procedures.

Hospitals, nursing homes, institutions of all types, all should have a plans for any type of emergency.

Even Walmart has Code Adam plan in place that employees are trained on from day 1.

 

[SkipperKey3]

@TTF14 Many have theorize that '' someone '' ( no one knows who ) had visited Serenity and told her to meet them at the gate at a certain time... this is totally speculation... and picked her up...

The theory doesn't hold much water, IMHO, because LE has thoroughly investigated all her relatives. She was in the Home for months, and wouldn't have had that much contact with the outside world. And the weather was too poor. That theory is pure speculation, as you say. But of course LE can't rule anything out.

 

[SkipperKey3]

So the high that day of 38 was reached very early in the morning and the temp had dropped to 20-25 later in the morning, 11:20am, when she ran? Do I have that right?

Yes. The wind had picked up, and it was a cold wind. The temps dropped steadily throughout the day. By the time the LE arrived with S&R, it had fallen to near 0. And it stayed there for several days.

 

[SkipperKey3]

Not many thought little Harold the Toddler could climb rough terrain either, but they found him 1/3 a mile from home sitting on a 50’ cliff.

Now, those of us who have ‘No Fear’ type kids know better than to underestimate them. I think that’s where CD/KD are. They know Serenity and her behaviors better than anyone. Serenity has a brilliant mind. She carved a hole in the drywall big enough to squeeze into behind a dresser. She ran off because she thought she was invincible, could outsmart her caretakers, force her way into getting whatever it was that she was after, etc. Her luck ran out, unfortunately. Mother Nature doesn’t discriminate.

What point would it serve for her parents (CD/KD) to organize and interact with the public? They have jobs and young kids, one is a newborn. There are skilled professionals out there searching. No doubt as parents, they feel guilt, sadness and are at a loss as to what to do. I can assure you, they felt that way long before Serenity ran off. They have been grieving the loss of their daughter since before they made the decision to put her in the facility. They’re relying heavily on the skilled professionals to help them thru this painful journey. They don't need interaction with a senator or the general public.

Send us a sign sweet Serenity. Let us bring you home where you belong.

I am of the opinion at this point that she continued to wander even after the weather started affecting her, and even if she became delirious and wasn't thinking straight. I think LE thinks that is a possibility, which is partially why they expanded the search radius, which was initially 1 mile, to 2 and a half miles.
But since she had found hiding places before, it can't be discounted that when she heard searchers out looking for her, she found a hiding place that the searchers just haven't found yet.

 

[SkipperKey3]

How on earth has this child not been found yet???

Are there any more searches planned?

 

[PommyMommy]

So the high that day of 38 was reached very early in the morning and the temp had dropped to 20-25 later in the morning, 11:20am, when she ran? Do I have that right?

Something like that. By 6:44 p.m. it was 4 degrees and snowing. The winds also prevented air support until the following day when it was so cold that we were only able to see 6 minutes of the news conference because of equipment failure. Pennington County Sheriff's Office

 

[flashy09]

Is there any chance she could have committed suicide? There have been a few local articles (to me, not S. Dakota) about younger and younger children committing suicide.

If so, it would be important to look up in the trees. I wonder if the focus has been on the ground and under brush, bushes, etc.

My first cousin committed suicide by hanging from a tree using his shirt. It's always in the back of my mind that if I had joined the search group, I don't know if I would have thought to look up.

 

[mickey2942]

This situation is interesting, because it is obvious that the facility was not prepared for a youth like Serenity Dennard.

DCFS and other agencies have been criticized for the amount of psychopharmacological drugs youth in custody are prescribed. It would be interesting to know the date Serenity Dennard was placed in this facility, and what medication she was taking, and if there was a plan for a medication management appointment.

This case highlights why it may be in the child's best interest to have medication for behavior, even "black box" pharmaceuticals. An intervention may have reduced Serenity's impulsive behavior.

 

[PommyMommy]

This situation is interesting, because it is obvious that the facility was not prepared for a youth like Serenity Dennard.

DCFS and other agencies have been criticized for the amount of psychopharmacological drugs youth in custody are prescribed. It would be interesting to know the date Serenity Dennard was placed in this facility, and what medication she was taking, and if there was a plan for a medication management appointment.

This case highlights why it may be in the child's best interest to have medication for behavior, even "black box" pharmaceuticals. An intervention may have reduced Serenity's impulsive behavior.

BBM

I don't think we've ever seen an exact date but we know she moved to the Children's Home last summer. 'She's Serenity:' Missing girl's parents share daughter's story

 

[kay74]

So sad that a parent gives up a child and has them put in a "home" where there is no love. A child cannot stay where there is no love. It's no wonder she ran away. I believe she is dead and decomposed.