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

[Trudie]

We're at the point here right now where frostbite can happen within 30 minutes, but parts of last week it could have taken 5-10 minutes depending on exactly where you were. I just hope the searchers (and dogs) stay warm enough out there, and that she's found soon - one way or the other. MOO

Oh I pray anyone, no matter where in this world they are, are safe in this wicked, brutal cold. Hopefully all animal handlers watch for signs the dogs or horses have had enough. (Idk if they’re using horses but they might, imo).

 

[Forpsy]

Oh I pray anyone, no matter where in this world they are, are safe in this wicked, brutal cold. Hopefully all animal handlers watch for signs the dogs or horses have had enough. (Idk if they’re using horses but they might, imo).

There was a dog in one of the pictures we have been able to see that was putting weight on only 2 out of his 4 legs. I'm sure that they know to check their animals feet, right?

 

[Trudie]

There was a dog in one of the pictures we have been able to see that was putting weight on only 2 out of his 4 legs. I'm sure that they know to check their animals feet, right?

Boy, I’d think so. Dogs paws are warm and make the top layer of snow slushy, then the paw cools & ice balls form, I have same prob with my dogs, if we get snow (KY).
I’m sure they’ll watch, plus the dogs will pull ice off using their teeth.
It woukd be great to get the news S is safe & no one is put thru searching in such brutal conditions.
IMO only, if someone has her they are in trouble & reluctant to come forward.
I agree with previous poster, there’s a whole lot more going on behind the scenes.
Idk if S has relatives out of state?
Another thought, all of us with kids in the age range of S can think how well they tolerate brutal temps. How far could they go?
All moo.
ETA: KY cancelled school for several days due to the low temps, deeming it unsafe for kids to be at bus stops.

 

[Steelslady]

As someone mentioned before, this place appears to have a very good reputation. I've been looking all over the internet to see if this has happened before, and I can't find anything even remotely negative in terms of how the staff is with the children, or children frequently going missing.

I know that some places search for awhile before calling 911 because it does happen occasionally, that a child/teen/adult will take off, and they are usually found within minutes to an hour on the property or around it. These places do take safety seriously, at least the ones I have seen, and the one that I trained at. Even though I was working with the adult population, I had to train with the children and teenagers as well. Very thorough training, from safety, locking items up such as food and utensils, from never turning your back completely for your own safety. I never fully appreciated all that the staff does on a daily basis until I became a staff member.

This is truly breaking my heart- poor Serenity, I wonder if she was having a bad morning, missing her family or maybe a friend back home, and just booked it, thinking she could find her own way home. I pray that that is all that happened to her, that no one was hurting or harming her in any way as far as staff- while a rare occasion, I know it can happen. All I know is that we were thoroughly checked out before considered for employment- complete background checks, references galore, etc, and I am sure that is the case here with the Children's Home.

 

[Trudie]

I’m going to bed tonight satisfied S was picked up.
What are the odds two kids fled at once? Idk
I feel there’s s much more to this. All MOO

 

[Steelslady]

I also struggle with the fact that she wasn't found after exhaustive search efforts in that area.

If we take this case for face value and go with the theory that she left on foot and ran off on her own without any adult help , I would imagine that her remains should be in the general area. I know they can't possibly cover every square foot but I really would have guessed that she'd have been recovered already. No method is perfect though and theres so many variables that come into play in those types of locations. I hope that she's found/ recovered soon.
The thought of her being alone that night and freezing and hungry and scared is enough to bring tears to my eyes. This is a difficult one for sure. There's more questions than answers.

What gets me is- didn't she cry out when it started getting cold? They were searching for her all night, I believe, on the first night. I would think that when it got dark, she would be scared, hungry, cold and tired.

 

[Steelslady]

There is no reason for appeals in this case. What would it accomplish? They aren't asking for volunteer searchers and don't appear to believe she was abducted. I can't think of a case where they just came out and talked about the person, just because.

I have seen lots of concern, anguish and prayer requests on social media. I've seen how smart Serenity is. How outgoing she is (so no fear of strangers.) Serenity's favorite color is purple.

I have seen how desperate they are to know that she is safe and not suffering. How thankful they are for thoughts, prayers and searchers. I have seen some defense of the employees, some not commenting, I have not seen anger yet.

This article is being circulated as the most accurate by family. It also clarifies that the wood couple saw staff searching FOR Serenity. They did not actually see Serenity. So that explains why LE wanted to talk to them.

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts

Awe, bummer- that's two less people that saw Serenity. So it appears the last person to actually see her was that parent dropping off another child or visiting their child?

 

[Steelslady]

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. However, a woman dropping a family member off at the facility did see Dennard at a nearby cattle gate around 11 a.m.

He said the woman saw Dennard after dropping the relative off and was backing up her car, which had another passenger inside. The woman got out of her car and went inside to tell the staff that there was a girl outside. Meanwhile, the other person inside the car saw Dennard walk north up the road. By the time the woman returned to her car, Dennard was gone, and she couldn't find her as she drove up and down the road.

Whelchel said the sheriff's office is in "regular contact" with Dennard's parents. "They're devastated," he said.

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts

Oh wow, folks were blasting this lady for not telling staff or watching Serenity closely to make sure she wasn't missing, and the poor woman indeed went inside to tell staff while the passenger in her car tried to keep an eye on her! The lady even drove around looking for her- that makes me feel much better that someone looked out for Serenity. I wonder if shortly after is when maybe a staff member was seen by that couple later on, looking for Serenity? How the heck did this girl just vanish so quickly?

 

[MsFacetious]

Yes. We have not had tons of information here like in other ones. This is why judging in a case like this isn't effective. They aren't out giving all the details because they don't require the publics help here.

 

[Trudie]

Yes. We have not had tons of information here like in other ones. This is why judging in a case like this isn't effective. They aren't out giving all the details because they don't require the publics help here.

I truly think she was picked up.
After running off, she would have been cold, imo, & prob would have turned back, not getting far. Jmo

 

[Forpsy]

There is no reason for appeals in this case. What would it accomplish? They aren't asking for volunteer searchers and don't appear to believe she was abducted. I can't think of a case where they just came out and talked about the person, just because.

I have seen lots of concern, anguish and prayer requests on social media. I've seen how smart Serenity is. How outgoing she is (so no fear of strangers.) Serenity's favorite color is purple.

I have seen how desperate they are to know that she is safe and not suffering. How thankful they are for thoughts, prayers and searchers. I have seen some defense of the employees, some not commenting, I have not seen anger yet.

This article is being circulated as the most accurate by family. It also clarifies that the wood couple saw staff searching FOR Serenity. They did not actually see Serenity. So that explains why LE wanted to talk to them.

Weather on day girl went missing significantly hurt search efforts

They waited two hours to call LE?.
This article says Serenity ran off @ 10:45.
The woman who dropped someone off saw Serenity @ 11:00
The Sheriff said they weren't called until 12:45.
The original article on this said someone from the staff saw Serenity on the road but the person who dropped someone off felt they had better go inside the school to tell someone that there was a child outside, so obviously, they weren't looking then. When she came back out, she went driving around looking for her.

 

[TwoDogNight]

As someone mentioned before, this place appears to have a very good reputation. I've been looking all over the internet to see if this has happened before, and I can't find anything even remotely negative in terms of how the staff is with the children, or children frequently going missing.

I know that some places search for awhile before calling 911 because it does happen occasionally, that a child/teen/adult will take off, and they are usually found within minutes to an hour on the property or around it. These places do take safety seriously, at least the ones I have seen, and the one that I trained at. Even though I was working with the adult population, I had to train with the children and teenagers as well. Very thorough training, from safety, locking items up such as food and utensils, from never turning your back completely for your own safety. I never fully appreciated all that the staff does on a daily basis until I became a staff member.

This is truly breaking my heart- poor Serenity, I wonder if she was having a bad morning, missing her family or maybe a friend back home, and just booked it, thinking she could find her own way home. I pray that that is all that happened to her, that no one was hurting or harming her in any way as far as staff- while a rare occasion, I know it can happen. All I know is that we were thoroughly checked out before considered for employment- complete background checks, references galore, etc, and I am sure that is the case here with the Children's Home.

It really is a well respected facility. There are and have been others in SD I would have not said that about. I still have contacts in the field, and there do not appear to be any rumors or suspicions about this facility.

 

[Trudie]

It really is a well respected facility. There are and have been others in SD I would have not said that about. I still have contacts in the field, and there do not appear to be any rumors or suspicions about this facility.

Good to hear but the prob with reference checks is it’s all in the past. Excellent references can’t predict future behavior. Moo
It’s very curious two kids flee about the same time a car shows up to drop someone off. As usual the reporting has been all over the place. Moo

 

[TwoDogNight]

Good to hear but the prob with reference checks is it’s all in the past. Excellent references can’t predict future behavior. Moo
It’s very curious two kids flee about the same time a car shows up to drop someone off. As usual the reporting has been all over the place. Moo

True, but often there are indicators that preface a major event. Poor management, improper staffing ratios, financial problems, high staff turnover, etc.

 

[Trudie]

True, but often there are indicators that preface a major event. Poor management, improper staffing ratios, financial problems, high staff turnover, etc.

I understand. It’s great this facility has a good history.
Some schools are sought after (at least in my area) & considered the best in the area, only to have an inappropriate incident involving teacher/student, destroying the schools reputation instantly. Jmo
Kinda like a murderer that murders at 60 but up til then was an exemplary person.
Moo moo

 

[TwoDogNight]

Not just history, pretty current input, but there can always be a bad apple. No one I know in the field or facility seems to have sniffed out one yet.

 

[Trudie]

Not just history, pretty current input, but there can always be a bad apple. No one I know in the field or facility seems to have sniffed out one yet.

I’m so glad! Ty for info.

 

[Steelslady]

Not just history, pretty current input, but there can always be a bad apple. No one I know in the field or facility seems to have sniffed out one yet.

This is just really haunting me. As I listen to the crazy winds blowing up here and it's cold as ice outside, I think of Serenity and it just upsets me that she might be out there, no longer with us, due to the cold weather.

I also don't know why, but I keep wondering if she could have gone towards that Hippie Hole- there's a lot of water there and hiking, and you can get there from two different ways. I just can't understand how in God's name no one has been able to find a trace of her- not even a boot, a sock, something. I know kids can go missing in a blink of an eye, but it doesn't make it easier to handle.

I would love to have this turn out to be a planned meeting with a family member, and that she is alive, well, and safe. Ugh, I need to stay away from these missing children's threads- just too upsetting.

 

[MsFacetious]

Serenity was the name I wanted if I had another girl. I'm here until she's found, I can't let it go.

 

[Steelslady]

Serenity was the name I wanted if I had another girl. I'm here until she's found, I can't let it go.

I can't let it go, either. This is just heart crushing!

Serenity is a beautiful name.