DR, Sudiksha Konanki, 20, Punta Cana, 6 March 2025

[armchairagatha]

VERY well put. Many CNS's would go into fight or flight mode after this sort of situation, maybe not hers but gives even more reason to question events

Actually, you'd think that after the potentially life threatening and frightening ordeal they went through, you'd think they'd sit on the beach together, in a state of relief, and talk about it. Whether they threw up or not. Wouldn't that be a normal instinct to do so? Especially after he "saved" her.
Instead she "walked away".
Then it's possible too that she wanted to gather her clothes and just get out of there, but personally that would not be my reaction.

"Then it's possible too that she wanted to gather her clothes and just get out of there, but personally that would not be my reaction." <Snipped from the above>
This was obviously not her reaction. Her clothes (or wrap) were left where they were and she didn't get out of there back to the resort.

 

[Dee10]

Regarding possible interpretation issues; because of the tourism in the DR, they understand English fine, maybe not as fluent as Mexico for hotel staff. However where the DR relies heavily on tourists, police, etc. will have bilingual professionals. As an example, there was a couple from NY that went missing a few years ago and there was rampat theories and rumors that speculation went on for weeks and rightly so... It was found this couple didn't realize how long it took to get to the airport, left late for the trip & possible the driver was impaired and the DR took it very seriously (there economy relies on vistors and IIFC they drove off a cliff & were driving perhaps or cutting their drive to the airport too close too make their flight or possibly impaired from interviews published earlier that day. When the vehicle was discovered, there was at least one additional vehicle was found I followed that case and felt the DR really took the case very seriously/invested and I expect the same in this case.

I can't remember the year, but it was a couple that was from NY and you will see how the DR handled that case if you're interested because it was all over the news, IDK for at least a couple weeks for sure.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[Judy Sleuth]

And the question phrasing of "young Sudiksha" was strange to me. This is a serious case. SK is not a child; she's a missing adult.

Yes, that struck me too. I wondered if it might be some weird translation of young woman. Perhaps they referred to her as Senorita Sudiksha? I also find it very interesting that when we read translations of quotes by the police, they give surnames first with no comma, as in "Konanki Sudiksha" or "Carter Joseph." I don't think that's common in Mexican Spanish (the only dialect I've been around), but I wonder if it's typical in the DR. Then again, I've never read any Spanish newspapers, so perhaps it's common to omit the comma that we would use in English (as in Konanki, Sudiksha).

Just editing to add that I think any translation issues going on are with the media reporting, and not with the investigating team. Dee 10 in post #622 is really clear that DR officials take cases with tourists seriously.

 

[Seni]

I'm curious, why not? Myself, having been in both a rip current at one time, and just rough water and trying to make it to shore another time (with lots of non issue outings between), I can guarantee it's easy to take on water, not just drinking it in but getting in your lungs. You start to cough to clear your lungs, next thing you know you are violently coughing, then puking. And that goes on with you gasping for breath in between coughing and throwing up. 10 minutes easy to recover enough to be mildly coherent. And that is completely sober.

I'm not saying that is or is not what happened, just saying it 100% can and does happen, so I wonder why you don't see it. Do you just not believe the story?

I think the poster is referring to the DM video of them supposedly throwing up outside the restaurant. I didn't find that video clear either.

 

[Kittypoo]

One would have to ask them how they saw him come back in the hotel with no shirt or shoes. We DONT know ANYTHING for certain…

Does everyone believe his story about him rescuing her from a big wave, and last seeing her walking knee deep in the water?

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/14/us/missing-college-student-punta-cana-update/index.html

No
We only have one side of the story
Did anyone else see them in the water?
Did anyone see him vomit or crash out for 5 hours?
Virtually every post I’ve read is assuming all his words are true. I’m not so sure.
Too many inconsistencies and versions now and I repeat where is SK? I hope other options are being investigated and phone/cctv footage
JMO

 

[Whiteorchids]

He said he has a steady girlfriend back home sounds like he was drunk and wanted a hook up, not good character, he might have tried and she resisted being drunk can bring out the absolute worst in people I’ve seen it. I wonder if anything was put in her drink like a roofie, I think his stories sound sus. I still have to presume he’s innocent but maybe we will never know unless we find her

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Day of Disappearance (March 6)

• 1:27 a.m.: The resort experienced a power outage that disabled security systems and cameras, and disrupted lighting
• 3:00 a.m.: Surveillance footage shows Konanki and a group of Americans drinking in the hotel lobby
• 4:05 a.m.: Video captures Konanki vomiting at a bar, with Riibe also vomiting nearby
• 4:15 a.m.: Konanki and Riibe were recorded walking arm-in-arm with a group of six others toward the beach, with Konanki appearing to stagger
• 4:55-5:05 a.m.: Five of the people from the group returned to the hotel
• 5:50 a.m.: Konanki was last seen on the beach with Riibe
• 8:54-9:00 a.m.: Riibe returned to his hotel room barefoot and shirtless, with no sign of Konanki
• 4:00 p.m.: Konanki’s friends filed a missing person report with hotel staff
• Later that day: Konanki’s father filed a report with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office
• Caribbean Conundrum: Developments So Far in the Case of the Disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki - American Kahani

 

[Ghostwheel]

I think the poster is referring to the DM video of them supposedly throwing up outside the restaurant. I didn't find that video clear either.

Thank you. It was an interpretation thing on my part. Actually seeing it vs "can't see it" idiom.

 

[minazoe]

if they could just find a clue..anything. I don't find it odd that he says he held her in front of him..Im sure he was holding on to her and guiding her towards the beach....I feel like they were both disoriented and stumbling around gasping for breaths and gravity...the question is , did she get ripped back into the ocean or did someone offer to help her back to the hotel? . Could she have come to some harm on the beach? could he have escorted her body far out in the water and let her go? and then came back to the shore and vomited.

he has a girlfriend back home I hear. mOO

 

[Bigditch]

I'm curious, why not? Myself, having been in both a rip current at one time, and just rough water and trying to make it to shore another time (with lots of non issue outings between), I can guarantee it's easy to take on water, not just drinking it in but getting in your lungs. You start to cough to clear your lungs, next thing you know you are violently coughing, then puking. And that goes on with you gasping for breath in between coughing and throwing up. 10 minutes easy to recover enough to be mildly coherent. And that is completely sober.

I'm not saying that is or is not what happened, just saying it 100% can and does happen, so I wonder why you don't see it. Do you just not believe the story?

Up thread poster said there was video of them puking at the bar. My response was to that claim.

Also, I've been caught in a riptide. Not fun.

 

[CityKid]

I'm curious, why not? Myself, having been in both a rip current at one time, and just rough water and trying to make it to shore another time (with lots of non issue outings between), I can guarantee it's easy to take on water, not just drinking it in but getting in your lungs. You start to cough to clear your lungs, next thing you know you are violently coughing, then puking. And that goes on with you gasping for breath in between coughing and throwing up. 10 minutes easy to recover enough to be mildly coherent. And that is completely sober.

I'm not saying that is or is not what happened, just saying it 100% can and does happen, so I wonder why you don't see it. Do you just not believe the story?

And both of them are on camera puking earlier outside the bar. Add in some swallowed seawater and I have no problem believing either or both of them vomited after being tossed around in the water. (Fellow rip current survivor here.)

 

[Ghostwheel]

Up thread poster said there was video of them puking at the bar. My response was to that claim.

Also, I've been caught in a riptide. Not fun.

Yes, Seni set me to rights. It was an interpretation thing on my part. Actually seeing it vs "can't see it" idiom

 

[Whiteorchids]

Up thread poster said there was video of them puking at the bar. My response was to that claim.

Also, I've been caught in a riptide. Not fun.

There’s an actual video posted?

 

[Bigditch]

Day of Disappearance (March 6)

• 1:27 a.m.: The resort experienced a power outage that disabled security systems and cameras, and disrupted lighting
• 3:00 a.m.: Surveillance footage shows Konanki and a group of Americans drinking in the hotel lobby
• 4:05 a.m.: Video captures Konanki vomiting at a bar, with Riibe also vomiting nearby
• 4:15 a.m.: Konanki and Riibe were recorded walking arm-in-arm with a group of six others toward the beach, with Konanki appearing to stagger
• 4:55-5:05 a.m.: Five of the people from the group returned to the hotel
• 5:50 a.m.: Konanki was last seen on the beach with Riibe
• 8:54-9:00 a.m.: Riibe returned to his hotel room barefoot and shirtless, with no sign of Konanki
• 4:00 p.m.: Konanki’s friends filed a missing person report with hotel staff
• Later that day: Konanki’s father filed a report with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office
• Caribbean Conundrum: Developments So Far in the Case of the Disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki - American Kahani

Hi, can you repost vid. Thanks!

 

[whitelilac]

"Then it's possible too that she wanted to gather her clothes and just get out of there, but personally that would not be my reaction." <Snipped from the above>
This was obviously not her reaction. Her clothes (or wrap) were left where they were and she didn't get out of there back to the resort.

Exactly, she never retrieved her clothes.
But Joshua said she was walking knee deep at an angle (presumably toward the beach) towards where her clothes were.
So what happened? She was taken by a wave while doing that, in shallow water and while he was throwing up? Was he on the beach already, or also in shallow knee deep water?

My point was, why even walk towards her clothes when the two had just nearly drowned. I'd think they would sit on the beach together to get their breaths back and reground themselves instead of her immediately taking off. Hence, I'm not sure of his account here.

 

[cocomonkey]

Getting the phone makes sense to me. The average person keeps their phone away from seawater. It's just smart. But it also would explain him not trying to call anyone or Sudiksha. He didn't have his phone with him.

As to how he had her, when rescuing someone who is drowning, always approach from the back. NEVER from the front. Drowning people have the instinct to climb to whatever they can. If you come from the front, they will try to drown you to get leverage. Not rational, simply an instinct. He was stating she was panicking and that is why he had her that way. Lifeguard training.

Thank you for pointing that out about having her in front of him. I didn't know that but it makes sense. If he was a lifesaver at the pool he would know this information.

 

[Bahshudc]

Looking at google earth surroundings, it looks like there's a net a few metres into the water?

 

[Dee10]

Getting the phone makes sense to me. The average person keeps their phone away from seawater. It's just smart. But it also would explain him not trying to call anyone or Sudiksha. He didn't have his phone with him.

As to how he had her, when rescuing someone who is drowning, always approach from the back. NEVER from the front. Drowning people have the instinct to climb to whatever they can. If you come from the front, they will try to drown you to get leverage. Not rational, simply an instinct. He was stating she was panicking and that is why he had her that way. Lifeguard training.

 

[Ghostwheel]

Exactly, she never retrieved her clothes.
But Joshua said she was walking knee deep at an angle (presumably toward the beach) towards where her clothes were.
So what happened? She was taken by a wave while doing that, in shallow water and while he was throwing up? Was he on the beach already, or also in shallow knee deep water?

My point was, why even walk towards her clothes when the two had just nearly drowned. I'd think they would sit on the beach together to get their breaths back and reground themselves instead of her immediately taking off. Hence, I'm not sure of his account here.

Personal anecdote. Went body surfing with someone who I thought knew what he was doing. (He didn't). The good body surfers are coming while we are going out. By the time we got out there, the tide was coming in and the water was crashing on the rocks. We had to swim around to a cove to get in (the rough water swim I was referring to before). 3 miles and I was getting seasick from the waves. Last mile I spent on my back trying not to take on too much water. We literally crawled up on the beach between rocks in the cove. As soon as I was out of the water, I coughed, threw up then just laid there. He got up and went to get the towels left where we went in. (Short distance not by sea). To get out of the cove was a 62 step climb and I met him coming back down as I went up. But if I had gotten pulled back out to sea, or managed to move faster and got a ride, he'd have had no idea what happened to me. He might even have assumed I never wanted to see him again if I didn't answer any calls.

Towels were not important to me, yet somehow they were to him. Anything could have happened to me in the time he was gone. People do odd things.