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

[Steelslady]

The problem is that after a few years working with these kids, people become so cynical and jaded. A kid starts crying about being "sick", so instead of taking a child to the ER, the protocol is to wait and see what happens, because these kids are often used to manipulation as a way of life.

The problem is that the workers are NOT medical professionals, but they are making medical decisions.

Same as a child who runs, I will almost throw this out there...that she left, in the cold, and cynically, the staff said, "She will come back when she is cold enough.". Because workers get tired of the constant drama. I bet she was gone twice as long as reported. And I would also carefully interview each of the workers again, alone, and see who blames who, and who cracks first. There may be more to this situation...

If the child is outside, the outcome won't be positive here...

What?! I have NEVER heard of such an unprofessional occurrence happening like this! There is no way a worker would let a child go missing and not search for them! Have you actually worked at one of these places?

 

[mickey2942]

What?! I have NEVER heard of such an unprofessional occurrence happening like this! There is no way a worker would let a child go missing and not search for them! Have you actually worked at one of these places?

Yes. And it burned me out, big time. The staff runs from idealistic college students, to older adults who can't find anything else. Remember, it is low pay, and 3 shifts, day, swing, night.

I worked summers, and part time when I didn't teach school.

Some places are better than others. But the burnout and cynicism happens fast.

 

[PommyMommy]

The problem is that after a few years working with these kids, people become so cynical and jaded. A kid starts crying about being "sick", so instead of taking a child to the ER, the protocol is to wait and see what happens, because these kids are often used to manipulation as a way of life.

The problem is that the workers are NOT medical professionals, but they are making medical decisions.

Same as a child who runs, I will almost throw this out there...that she left, in the cold, and cynically, the staff said, "She will come back when she is cold enough.". Because workers get tired of the constant drama. I bet she was gone twice as long as reported. And I would also carefully interview each of the workers again, alone, and see who blames who, and who cracks first. There may be more to this situation...

If the child is outside, the outcome won't be positive here...

That doesn't sound at all like what happened here. Here is what was described in one of the recent articles:

Dennard and three other children were being supervised by two staff members when one of the other children ran away, Colson said. As a staffer ran after that child, Dennard then took off herself. Because the remaining staffer was still supervising two other children, they stayed put and called for help rather than follow Dennard.
UPDATE: Sheriff's Office looking for couple who last saw missing girl

Now, the first staffer can't chase down two children at once, and if the second staff member had run after Serenity, they could have had four children on the loose.

They called for help, they looked for her, and they called 911.

MOO

 

[Steelslady]

Yes. And it burned me out, big time. The staff runs from idealistic college students, to older adults who can't find anything else. Remember, it is low pay, and 3 shifts, day, swing, night.

I worked summers, and part time when I didn't teach school.

Some places are better than others. But the burnout and cynicism happens fast.

So you let kids go missing without looking for them and following protocols? Or you knew about other co-workers doing so?

Anyone that ever did such a thing would not only be fired but arrested for child endangerment. I can't imagine any co-workers agreeing that "oh, they take off all the time, they'll come back".

 

[PommyMommy]

I think you have a good point that Serenity may have been gone longer than reported by the facility, whether she left at 10:45 or 11:26. I wondered the same as soon as I read that staff had talked to the couple cutting wood between 10:30 and 11:30. Why would staff from the facility be out in the woods talking to wood cutters at 10:30 if Serenity didn't escape until 10:45 at the earliest? Is the facility's story inconsistent, or is MSM misreporting information? MOO.

I interpreted that to mean that the woodcutters didn't know exactly what time they spoke with the staff - just that they were out there cutting wood between 10:30 and 11:30 so it would have been within that timeframe.

The couple was cutting wood near Foster Gulch and South Rockerville Road and spoke with staff from the Children's Home on Sunday between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., the release said.
UPDATE: Sheriff's Office looking for couple who last saw missing girl

 

[Steelslady]

That doesn't sound at all like what happened here. Here is what was described in one of the recent articles:

Dennard and three other children were being supervised by two staff members when one of the other children ran away, Colson said. As a staffer ran after that child, Dennard then took off herself. Because the remaining staffer was still supervising two other children, they stayed put and called for help rather than follow Dennard.
UPDATE: Sheriff's Office looking for couple who last saw missing girl

Now, the first staffer can't chase down two children at once, and if the second staff member had run after Serenity, they could have had four children on the loose.

They called for help, they looked for her, and they called 911.

MOO

The workers followed the protocol for a child running off to a T. One took after the first child that ran off, while the second worker stayed back with Serenity and the two other children, to which that co-worker called for help. It appears that Serenity possibly ran in the opposite direction than the other child, making it difficult for the first worker to find her, which is why other staff would come out and look for Serenity while making sure that the other three children were in a safe place with the second worker until she was found, which sadly did not happen.

 

[PommyMommy]

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...-02-04/search-ramps-up-for-missing-9-year-old
A western South Dakota sheriff says searchers so far have found no trace of a missing 9-year-old girl who ran away from staff at a residential youth home.

Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom said Monday afternoon that 65 people assisted by dogs are searching for Serenity Dennard. The Civil Air Patrol joined the search Monday morning.

Investigators want to talk with a couple who last saw the girl near the children's home. The couple were cutting wood and driving a pickup. Deputies want to get a better idea of where Serenity was headed.

 

[Scrapper18]

Just saw this story and catching up. Prayers for Serenity.

Based on her not being found, after extensive searching, I'm leaning toward her being picked up by someone in a vehicle. Hopefully, someone well intentioned, but obviously misguided in thinking that was the way to "rescue" her. Unless her mental health problems are quite severe, I can't imagine a nine-year-old just going into the wilderness to wander or hide, with no plan. She would have to know she was putting herself into grave danger. I hope LE is also investigating her family, relatives and family friends to determine if one of them is responsible. MOO. Hoping for good news soon.

BBM - I'm going to have to disagree. I do not think a 9 year old would stop, think and make a plan. I think she saw an opportunity and just darted. If she comes from a trauma background, she may not function cognitively as a 9 year old. JMO

 

[AmyPond]

I don't understand how they could see her on / near the road, but then she simply vanishes from sight before staff could reach her? How did they lose sight of her? How fast can a nine-year-old in snow boots run in snow / ice? Why was she wearing snow boots in the gym? In my experience working in elementary schools that had special education programs for emotionally impaired, autism spectrum, etc., when a child ran, a staff member immediately left other children with any other near by staff member and went in hot pursuit. Adult-child ratio rule was momentarily suspended in such emergency cases. I'm not very familiar with this type of institution, but I thought there were always two doors, one being of heavy metal and accessed only by a key card worn around the neck by authorized staff. How did she get from the gym and through the security doors? There are troubling aspects to this story, IMO. I hope they do a serious evaluation of their security procedures ASAP. As far as the director wanting to get Serenity back so they can continue helping her? Not on your life if she were my kid! I wouldn't even consider letting her near the place ever again! MOO.

I had an internship at a different residential facility in South Dakota (for teens.) If this one is anything like that one...it isn't some sterile building with heavy doors and key cards. I could be wrong, of course. But typically these types of places attempt to be more home-like. I know that at the facility I worked at, once in a while kids did manage to run away. Never happened during any of my shifts though, thankfully. But the kids where I worked were very troubled. Some came from abusive homes. Some had been in gangs. Etc. It wasn't some sort of lock-down facility though. It was a residential treatment problem. I suspect this one could be similar.

 

[Steelslady]

Just saw this story and catching up. Prayers for Serenity.



BBM - I'm going to have to disagree. I do not think a 9 year old would stop, think and make a plan. I think she saw an opportunity and just darted. If she comes from a trauma background, she may not function cognitively as a 9 year old. JMO

Agree. Sometimes they just take off without any destination in mind. Some, usually older, will have a few hiding spots that they find while out and about with the adults in charge, such as a nature walk. Kids aren't always predictable and some adults aren't either. Sometimes they might be triggered to run, such as they can't go down the slide again because they cut Suzy off in line to get an extra turn. Or maybe one of the kids wanted to play longer and it was time to get ready for lunch or go back to the classroom. Sometimes, these kids do what many of us would love to do at school or jobs- throw caution to the wind and just run and hide!

This is where behavior therapy applies- consequences are given for the child for taking off, such as a favorite activity taken away for a day or they can't watch their favorite show on TV. Even knowing that there are consequences for their behavior some of them sadly just can't help themselves and still repeat the poor behaviors. Some do learn to stop them, some are inbetween and need supervision but have more freedoms, and some never stop. We don't know much about poor Serenity and we will never know for privacy reasons as to why she is there.

I hope they find her soon- this is just awful, her being out in the cold like this. I don't know if the poor child could even survive that weather with what she was wearing. Maybe Casey's purple bear might help her if she's still alive or out there.

Another scary possibility- I pray she wasn't seen walking on a road and kidnapped. Scary world we live in.

 

[doodles1211]

She is really out there in the middle of absolutely nothing.... I hope she made it to a home that was close by or shed. Something out of that cold.



Google Maps

 

[AmyPond]

People questioning how a child could run off so easily...it definitely happens. Again, I can't speak for this facility...only for the place I worked at in eastern South Dakota over a decade ago. It had the girl's building, the boy's building, the gym, the school building, a basketball court outside, and then there was also this old house on the property where the basement had a t.v., pool table, air hockey, etc. There weren't locked fences or gates or anything. But the kids (ages 13-17) couldn't just walk freely around or anything.

But for some perspective....I was an intern there while I was in college. I was a early-20's female who weighed only 120 pounds. And I was sometimes alone with a handful of troubled teens. Any number of bad things could have happened. Typically there would be at least one other senior staff with me though because I hadn't been trained in the types of restraint holds they would sometimes needs to do. But if a girl wanted to run off during one of those times...they would have. I wouldn't have been able to stop them.

I would hope that facilities like this would be safer now than they were 10+ years ago but who knows. I would especially hope they are better when they have kids so young.

 

[katydid23]

At first I had hoped someone stopped to help her get out of the cold. But it's too late now for that to be the case...

And now that we know that another child bolted first, then she took her opportunity too, then we can assume she didnt have any one waiting to get her---unless that other child was helping her?

 

[doodles1211]

Ughh... no updates. It is dark, cold and she is still missing. My heart hurts!

Pennington County SO (@PennCoSheriff) | Twitter

 

[Savmom]

Ughh... no updates. It is dark, cold and she is still missing. My heart hurts!

Pennington County SO (@PennCoSheriff) | Twitter

a

Mine too

I was so hopeful that they would have found her by now. Not quite hopeful about the outcome but unless someone grabbed her (unlikely) where else could she be??

Praying she is found SOON! Where are you, Serenity???

 

[doodles1211]

Someone has a comment about a nearby "hippy hole". I wonder if she made it there?

UPDATE: Investigators looking for couple who may have information on missing girl - KNBN NewsCenter1

Still no updates...

 

[AliceInPain]

sbm, bbm

A western South Dakota sheriff says searchers so far have found no trace of a missing 9-year-old girl who ran away from staff at a residential youth home.

I take that to mean the dogs never found her scent that day she went missing (or after.)
Would bad weather/ heavy snow affect their ability to track?

?

 

[Forpsy]

sbm, bbm


I take that to mean the dogs never found her scent that day she went missing (or after.)
Would bad weather/ heavy snow affect their ability to track?

?

I read somewhere that fresh fallen snow will "bury" a scent.
I don't know if that's true but it makes sense I guess.
I don't have a link though so there's that.

 

[tigertales]

MOO remote possibilities, but a few things occurred to me this am ... could she still be on the property somewhere hiding? Could she have found an unlocked car and crawled inside? I am sure LE has covered these scenarios ...

 

[Forpsy]

MOO remote possibilities, but a few things occurred to me this am ... could she still be on the property somewhere hiding? Could she have found an unlocked car and crawled inside? I am sure LE has covered these scenarios ...

Lord, that would be so great, wouldn't it.
I hope that they would have checked any parked cars though?