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

[Forpsy]

So they didn't already have dogs on the scene? Apparently not.

I think they were using search and recovery dogs who track by scent.
I'm afraid that the "specialty" dogs are cadaver dogs.
Two different types. jmo

 

[azure]

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it makes me sad that there isn't any family making an appearance on behalf of this baby girl. Praying for her!

I can only imagine it’s an incredibly hard decision to place your child in a residential care home. There is undoubtedly a lot of guilt and doubt that comes with making such a decision. They trusted the oldest human services not for profit organization in the state with the care of their child, and a freak accident happened. Opening themselves to endless public scrutiny may not be best for them at this time, and if she’s out in the elements (99% likelihood IMO), a televised or broadcast plea isn’t going to get to her.

 

[IceIce9]

I can only imagine it’s an incredibly hard decision to place your child in a residential care home. There is undoubtedly a lot of guilt and doubt that comes with making such a decision. They trusted the oldest human services not for profit organization in the state with the care of their child, and a freak accident happened. Opening themselves to endless public scrutiny may not be best for them at this time, and if she’s out in the elements (99% likelihood IMO), a televised or broadcast plea isn’t going to get to her.

Also, we do not know the circumstances that had her admitted to the home. I think many of us are making the assumption that the parents made the agonizing and heartbreaking choice to place her there.

However, it could be that she was placed there by CPS, the court, etc. Keeping in mind the other reasons a child could be admitted there include trauma, domestic violence, or neglect.

We simply do not know the reason she was placed there, or who made the decision.

 

[Jethro4WS]

So they didn't already have dogs on the scene? Apparently not.

In at least one of the media articles it was mentioned that there were 3 dog teams out there on Sunday and on Monday.

 

[Savmom]

I hate these types of outcomes

 

[cybervampira]

Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Search for missing nine year old transitions into recovery effort

Pennington County, SD – The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office has made the decision to transition the search for missing nine year old Serenity Dennard from a rescue to a recovery operation. If Serenity was outside, it’s unlikely she survived. We have not ruled out the possibility that she found some place warm to shelter or that someone picked her up. We still have an active investigation and will follow up on all leads.

Serenity’s rescue has been the top priority of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office since she went missing February 3 from the Black Hills Children’s Home. Sheriff’s Office personnel will remain in the area, but the recovery efforts will be scaled back until crews with specialized canines from Eastern South Dakota and Colorado arrive. These resources have been ordered, but their arrival date has not been confirmed.

In the last three days, more than 200 personnel and six canines have been assigned to the search of Serenity. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Pennington County Search and Rescue, Pennington County Fire, South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Wildland Fire, Mount Rushmore National Park, North Haines Volunteer Fire Department, Ellsworth Air Force Base Fire Department, Silver City Volunteer Fire Department, New Underwood Volunteer Fire Department, Box Elder Police Department, Box Elder Volunteer Fire Department, Black Hawk Volunteer Fire Department, Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department, Rochford Volunteer Fire Department, Fairburn Volunteer Fire Department, Custer County Search and Rescue, Rapid City Police Department, Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department, Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department, Bear Paw Dog Team, Battle Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Rapid City Fire Department, Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Doty Volunteer Fire Department, Summerset Police Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Meade County Sheriff, Hill City Volunteer Fire Department, and Civil Air Patrol have scoured the area. Searchers have used hand-held thermal imaging devices, distributed flyers, canvassed all neighbors and interviewed more than 60 people to try to find Serenity.

Serenity Dennard is described as a Caucasian female, 4’7”, 90 pounds, with blue eyes and shoulder length dark blonde hair. She was last seen wearing only a long sleeved grey shirt with flowers, blue jeans and snow boots. She had no coat at the time she left the Black Hills Children’s Home on Sunday.

The circumstances of Serenity’s disappearance did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert, which includes credible evidence that a child under 18 years old has been abducted. Given the dangerous weather conditions an Endangered Missing Advisory was issued by the state of South Dakota which also disseminates the information quickly across the region.

The investigation into Serenity’s disappearance has determined that she was last seen on South Rockerville Road walking north-bound near the Black Hills Children’s Home at 11 am on February 3. Again, the PCSO still has an active investigation. If anyone has seen or had contact with Serenity, do not communicate that information via social media. Please contact the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at (605) 394-6115.
##

 

[LadyL]

Very very sad.... but expected I guess...

Search for Serenity Dennard ends, transitions to recovery

The Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday night to transition its search for the missing 9-year-old from a rescue to a recovery.

In a release the Sheriff's Office says it's unlikely Dennard survived being outside since Sunday. The release says the Sheriff's Office has not ruled out the possibility Dennard found a warm, safe place or that someone picked her up. The investigation is still active. However, due to the extreme cold, if Dennard was outside, since Sunday it's unlikely she survived.

tears
poor baby girl

 

[chi123]

Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Search for missing nine year old transitions into recovery effort

Pennington County, SD – The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office has made the decision to transition the search for missing nine year old Serenity Dennard from a rescue to a recovery operation. If Serenity was outside, it’s unlikely she survived. We have not ruled out the possibility that she found some place warm to shelter or that someone picked her up. We still have an active investigation and will follow up on all leads.

Serenity’s rescue has been the top priority of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office since she went missing February 3 from the Black Hills Children’s Home. Sheriff’s Office personnel will remain in the area, but the recovery efforts will be scaled back until crews with specialized canines from Eastern South Dakota and Colorado arrive. These resources have been ordered, but their arrival date has not been confirmed.

In the last three days, more than 200 personnel and six canines have been assigned to the search of Serenity. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Pennington County Search and Rescue, Pennington County Fire, South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Wildland Fire, Mount Rushmore National Park, North Haines Volunteer Fire Department, Ellsworth Air Force Base Fire Department, Silver City Volunteer Fire Department, New Underwood Volunteer Fire Department, Box Elder Police Department, Box Elder Volunteer Fire Department, Black Hawk Volunteer Fire Department, Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department, Rochford Volunteer Fire Department, Fairburn Volunteer Fire Department, Custer County Search and Rescue, Rapid City Police Department, Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department, Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department, Bear Paw Dog Team, Battle Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Rapid City Fire Department, Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Doty Volunteer Fire Department, Summerset Police Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Meade County Sheriff, Hill City Volunteer Fire Department, and Civil Air Patrol have scoured the area. Searchers have used hand-held thermal imaging devices, distributed flyers, canvassed all neighbors and interviewed more than 60 people to try to find Serenity.

Serenity Dennard is described as a Caucasian female, 4’7”, 90 pounds, with blue eyes and shoulder length dark blonde hair. She was last seen wearing only a long sleeved grey shirt with flowers, blue jeans and snow boots. She had no coat at the time she left the Black Hills Children’s Home on Sunday.

The circumstances of Serenity’s disappearance did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert, which includes credible evidence that a child under 18 years old has been abducted. Given the dangerous weather conditions an Endangered Missing Advisory was issued by the state of South Dakota which also disseminates the information quickly across the region.

The investigation into Serenity’s disappearance has determined that she was last seen on South Rockerville Road walking north-bound near the Black Hills Children’s Home at 11 am on February 3. Again, the PCSO still has an active investigation. If anyone has seen or had contact with Serenity, do not communicate that information via social media. Please contact the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at (605) 394-6115.
##

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Ugh. Now we’re in a weird position where it would almost be better if she was abducted because there’s at least a chance she’s alive right? I feel kind of sick even thinking that though.

 

[UKslueth2018]

Heartbroken... poor sweet baby.. xx

 

[Rural_PC]

Children are resourceful. I'd say there is a chance the children in this home could have found access to a phone without the staff knowing.

 

[Kavya01]

I can't follow this thread, I pray for you little one.

 

[IceIce9]

Heartbreaking. In every picture I saw of her she looked so sweet.

 

[Rachel1]

This is gut wrenching.

On one hand I think that if she was abducted that at least she'd have a chance to escape or be let go. On another hand I know that abduction doesn't usually end well either . No matter how I toss it, this situation sucks. Poor girl.
I think that if she went to a friends home or family member, they wouldn't contacted police by now. At first I had hoped that she would turn up at someones home and that they would call and say she was safe but that hope is dwindling now that several days have passed.
My heart breaks for this girl.
Sometimes kids are placed in residential facilities because they have no adult that is able to take them and they may have some issues. We have no idea what this little girl had going on in her life .

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

Children are resourceful. I'd say there is a chance the children in this home could have found access to a phone without the staff knowing.

I think you make a good point. It would be interesting to know if anyone working or visiting at the facility lost a phone in the not-too-distant past. I wonder if LE would be able to check for suspicious pings originating from the area of the facility. I don't understand much about pinging, so maybe a dumb question. I also can't help wondering if anyone working at the facility was recently "let go" for any reason. This is not meant to accuse anyone, simply to acknowledge the grim reality of the cases of the worst kind of betrayal we read about in MSM on a regular basis. In spite of all the laws and precautions, very determined bad adults still manage to gain access to children. I hope LE takes a look at that angle if Serenity's body is not recovered. MOO.

 

[doodles1211]

Well, I am sure that a lot of people thought Jayme Closs would never be found alive either.... so let's all pray!

 

[Steelslady]

I wonder if any of the kids in this place are allowed to leave on home visits or anything. That's the only way I could see an "escape" plan could have been hatched. Basically if she gave a note to a fellow resident to give to someone else while on a home visit? (Or just send a verbal message or text once on the visit.) I don't know. Probably too far-fetched. I know these kids are all fairly young as well so maybe they wouldn't come up with something like that.

They are allowed home visits, but they usually want an advance notice given. If someone is on medication or has to have supervision 24/7, the house would send someone to help at home with her, if the family wasn't able to do so. No one can just come and pick her up randomly, and usually it's just the parents that are allowed to do so, and proper ID has to be shown. They are very careful letting a child go home, to make sure it is safe for the family or the child, depending on the situation.

 

[Steelslady]

Also, we do not know the circumstances that had her admitted to the home. I think many of us are making the assumption that the parents made the agonizing and heartbreaking choice to place her there.

However, it could be that she was placed there by CPS, the court, etc. Keeping in mind the other reasons a child could be admitted there include trauma, domestic violence, or neglect.

We simply do not know the reason she was placed there, or who made the decision.

I would think, though, that if she had been taken away from her parents because of those reasons, that their other children would be taken away as well. They are still living with the parents.

 

[Steelslady]

My stomach is dropping with each passing minute. I was truly hoping for a Casey H. miracle. If you all don't mind, I'm still praying for one. I think I will say a prayer to St. Anthony right now. It couldn't hurt.

 

[FruitSnack]

I am not sure what this facility looks like but have they done a full search in every corner of the building? she could have circled back and snuck in and be hiding.

 

[Port80]

KNBN NewsCenter1

Additional photos of Missing 9 year old girl, Serenity Dennard. Photos courtesy of "Locate the Missing"
Missing Rockerville Girl - KNBN NewsCenter1

View attachment 167433View attachment 167434View attachment 167435

I don't know if its of any significance to anyone, but one of the fliers we have posted has been viewed by 1 million Facebook users today, nearly all individuals within the United States. Social media can be a powerful resource. If it has done any good in this specific case, I don't know, but you can't help but feel amazed by the number of people who want to help.

Changing back to the subject, I believe there is a reasonable chance she had been picked-up by someone. The search effort may have transitioned to recovery, but until she's found we have to provide benefit of the doubt that this case could still go in many different directions, IMO.