ACTIVE SEARCH SD - Serenity Dennard, 9, Children’s Home Society, Pennington County, 3 Feb 2019 #2

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  • #101
Awwww, this could have prompted Serenity to run. She wanted to be with baby sister. Heartbreaking!

Or she could have been upset that baby is in the house and she is not.
 
  • #102
It’s alarming that she could run away so easily. The Children’s Society does not appear to be a Mental Health home. All of the pediatric ones that I have experience with - you have to have a staff member let you in and staff member let you out. They use their badge to release the locks. Even so, my daughters school has so many protocols including locked classroom doors, so that a child doesn’t wander off. And it’s just a regular public school, not a home for children that have special situations. I feel sad that she was able to get out. At that age, they are not at the maturity level to know what is best for them. That’s why these serious protocols are often put into place.

It certainly causes one to wonder about many things. These are interesting and excellent points and I think show too how things vary from state to state and facility to facility I would guess. Like the regular public school thing, it sure varies depending on where one lives and that subject alone would be a discussion in and of itself.

I do not see myself how a home like this does not have such security features as people who are more familiar with them than I keep saying such children are known to run and it is not that uncommon. Yet I have no experience in such a setting so I feel I am just "judging". Hearing from those that do is enlightening. To me, this should never have happened but again, I am in no position to judge and not familiar with such a facility. Each case on here is a learning experience without a doubt and I learn something new in each and every one. Sadly, however, they come about because something did happen and there is a victim, although once in a blue moon there is a happy ending.

I hope for this child it is not too late but I cannot think of hardly a scenario where she would be safe and sound.

It breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it does to those that know her. I pray each and every day for her and her family.
 
  • #103
It certainly causes one to wonder about many things. These are interesting and excellent points and I think show too how things vary from state to state and facility to facility I would guess. Like the regular public school thing, it sure varies depending on where one lives and that subject alone would be a discussion in and of itself.

I do not see myself how a home like this does not have such security features as people who are more familiar with them than I keep saying such children are known to run and it is not that uncommon. Yet I have no experience in such a setting so I feel I am just "judging". Hearing from those that do is enlightening. To me, this should never have happened but again, I am in no position to judge and not familiar with such a facility. Each case on here is a learning experience without a doubt and I learn something new in each and every one. Sadly, however, they come about because something did happen and there is a victim, although once in a blue moon there is a happy ending.

I hope for this child it is not too late but I cannot think of hardly a scenario where she would be safe and sound.

It breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it does to those that know her. I pray each and every day for her and her family.

You got me. Right in the heart. And I agree 100% with your statements. I hope that's okay. I know we've seen differences (after agreeing mostly up to the court doc release in SLP) and I'm sure we will again. I thoroughly enjoy exchanging thoughts, and ideas, with you.

So often, you write a line like this, "It breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it does to those that know her. I pray each and every day for her and her family." And you have to admit that is so true, across the board. I feel those words. I pray them also.

I pray for them in carrying whatever burden they may. From the Home workers, to the family, and all others involved, or affected. I hope everyone can learn from this, and eventually find some peace. There I go sideways now. A little bit anyway IMHO :)
 
  • #104
You got me. Right in the heart. And I agree 100% with your statements. I hope that's okay. I know we've seen differences (after agreeing mostly up to the court doc release in SLP) and I'm sure we will again. I thoroughly enjoy exchanging thoughts, and ideas, with you.

So often, you write a line like this, "It breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it does to those that know her. I pray each and every day for her and her family." And you have to admit that is so true, across the board. I feel those words. I pray them also.

I pray for them in carrying whatever burden they may. From the Home workers, to the family, and all others involved, or affected. I hope everyone can learn from this, and eventually find some peace. There I go sideways now. A little bit anyway IMHO :)

Thank you, you humble me. I too agree with your posts 100 percent as well. I think in the other case, I found myself surprised and questioning myself why I cannot fully commit yet and I honestly do not know. I know of a few things that play into it. I find myself on the other side of a few that I generally am in agreement with and that surprises me as well. As you say, it will likely happen again. I have not been here quite long enough to have realized I may feel that way at times. In the JC case, people certainly had varying opinions and I did as well as to what happened but that is not quite the same, we had no idea who, etc. committed the crime.

The "line" or that type of line comes to me when I start to say how much my heart is breaking, I instantly feel if mine is then the family's is a millionfold breaking and it is their loss more than mine, or the employees, etc. as you say and I never want to speak as if my heartbreak matters as much as theirs does. I try to not forget that but probably do at times.

Even if I question in a case, it is with the hope that things can be done to where some things do not perhaps happen again, anger or heartbreak that a child is missing (natural right?) more than it is ever meant a judgment or putdown. At times the system (various ones) gets me upset. Even then it is probably more due to bureaucracy and the fear of lawsuits than to individual people.

These cases are almost sometimes enough to destroy a person but I enjoy the debate and to see how many people out there do care and to realize that there are a ton, far more than some of these sick perps in the other cases I would hope. I so enjoy all of those I have met on here and you are right up in the top!
 
  • #105
Healthy weight height for a 5' female is 100lbs. That's the standard our pediatrician always went by. The 96lb for under just 5' tall isn't that far off normal. Muscle weighs more than fat. At this age, she's likely solid muscle. She's still running around playing tag, kickball, climbing the jungle gym kinda activity, maybe even playing a sport. Girls will fill out right before puberty, then grow quickly, usually straight up and fill out in the appropriate places. Those fat cells are needed for normal healthy development. Send us a sign sweet Serenity - we need you home!

I believe her reported weight is correct.
In a previous thread, I stated that I am 5’ and somewhere between 96-99 pounds.
I’m not overweight. I’m a normal healthy weight.
Looking at pictures of her her, she looks healthy.

JMO
 
  • #106
I hope Serenity wasn't thinking she'd been replaced by her baby sister when she bolted. This little girl is affecting me strongly.

I hope not, either.
 
  • #107
I believe her reported weight is correct.
In a previous thread, I stated that I am 5’ and somewhere between 96-99 pounds.
I’m not overweight. I’m a normal healthy weight.
Looking at pictures of her her, she looks healthy.

JMO

I assume you are an adult. Look at a child BMI chart. A healthy weight for a 9 year old girl that is 4’7” is 59-82 lbs. if Serenity was 96 then she’s obese. At 5’ you are also 5 inches taller and again an adult, put your stats in a BMI calculator then add/subtract 5 inches. HUGE difference. I don’t need to lost 10 lbs to hit my goal weight I just need to gain 5 inches.

Sadly with the obesity epidemic here in the US we can’t remember what a healthy weight looks like. 90 lbs at 9 years old is not healthy.

Serenity does look healthy in all the photos I’ve seen of her which is why I doubt she was 96 lbs.
 
  • #108
I only know personally of one home such as this. I do not know if there are cameras. I will have to ask.

From the description, I think it is very similar. The kids have issues such as seeing a parent murdered by the other parent; sexually abused; unwanted; adoption failure; on and on.

They are unpredictable. That is why they are there. If they were easy to work with, they would be in a regular school. If they were easy, they would not have such an intense student/ staff ratio.

I think this was the perfect storm. She ran because of whatever emotional turmoil she was having.

I am guessimg that usually children run in the building and not outside, They searched and then were given info she was outside.

The weather was atrocious and for whatever reason, they had camera failure. The weather conspired to make searching impossible . Sometimes life does that to us
 
  • #109
New to this site but I've followed the case closely since it's happening a few miles from me.

I can actually address some things brought up here.

I've visited the home myself and facilitye does have cameras both inside and outside of the the buildings.

The doors to the main building are locked and alarmed, and I believe the gym doors are as well.

My understanding is that Serenity was being taken from one building to another, when a classmate ran. One staff member was dealing with that when Serenity busted and ran. The second staff member remained with the other kids and called for assistance.

The home is in a heavily wooded area with steep rocky terrain, and the nearest sheriff's substation is at least a 30 min drive away in good weather. The weather that day was frigid, and snowy.
The address is listed as Rockerville, but it actually sits closer to Keystone/Mt. Rushmore. It sits in a narrow canyon, on a road with sharp turns, and I can tell you from experience, it gets dangerous in bad weather.

Simce she went missing, the temperatures have remained extremely cold, and several storms have dumped fresh snow
 
  • #110
New to this site but I've followed the case closely since it's happening a few miles from me.

I can actually address some things brought up here.

I've visited the home myself and facilitye does have cameras both inside and outside of the the buildings.

The doors to the main building are locked and alarmed, and I believe the gym doors are as well.

My understanding is that Serenity was being taken from one building to another, when a classmate ran. One staff member was dealing with that when Serenity busted and ran. The second staff member remained with the other kids and called for assistance.

The home is in a heavily wooded area with steep rocky terrain, and the nearest sheriff's substation is at least a 30 min drive away in good weather. The weather that day was frigid, and snowy.
The address is listed as Rockerville, but it actually sits closer to Keystone/Mt. Rushmore. It sits in a narrow canyon, on a road with sharp turns, and I can tell you from experience, it gets dangerous in bad weather.

Simce she went missing, the temperatures have remained extremely cold, and several storms have dumped fresh snow
Welcome to Websleuths, sodakblackbird. Thank you for joining us. :)
 
  • #111
Heart_Purple.gif

Heart_Purple.gif
Serenity
Heart_Purple.gif


Heart_Purple.gif



Dear Lord,
Please bring this child home where she belongs.
Amen

One of the nicest posts to repeatedly bring forward. It is beautiful.
 
  • #112
I would have to go back and re-read all the reports, but I have something nagging me. It seems that her running away was noticed right away. So I would imagine that people were searching for her right away. How far could she have gotten ahead of LE and adults at the center In that terrain? . Could she have been hiding?
 
  • #113
I would have to go back and re-read all the reports, but I have something nagging me. It seems that her running away was noticed right away. So I would imagine that people were searching for her right away. How far could she have gotten ahead of LE and adults at the center In that terrain? . Could she have been hiding?
Only going by what reports we have, it is possible. She was last seen crossing the road and heading up the hill. The Home sits well off the road. By the time the staff member got to the point in the road she saw Serenity head up the hill. she had disappeared. Hard to say the exact order of events from there, although LE most definitely would know from questioning the staff and all. But I would guess the staff member may have headed up that hill to try to find Serenity, figuring she would be within sight, but failed to see her. And Serenity didn't answer when she was called for, although I find it unlikely that she wouldn't have heard. I'd guess at that point the staff member went back and got reinforcements to help find Serenity.
It is quite possible that Serenity did hide and purposefully not answer them when they called out for her, or that she kept going away from their voices so as not to be caught.
It might have seemed even funny to her. But it was so cold, I can't imagine that it would have remained funny for long. Either she got lost and couldn't find her way back, or was determined to keep going.
Part of what they are trying to figure out as well is where she thought she was going. It has been speculated that she had a favorite spot that they took the kids to on hikes when the weather was warm, and that she was going there.
The thing is, it was in the low 20s and dropping. With two hours it was in the teens. The cold would have affected her rather quickly, even with all the adrenaline.
Of course, all this is speculation. Other possibilities haven't been ruled out, such as her having gotten picked up. Maybe she just appeared to head up hill, to hide from staff, then circled back around to the road.
But if she did get picked up, it does not appear that it was by any family member.
All MOO, of course.
 
  • #114
Has anybody seen any pictures of Serenity actually wearing the snow boots she was supposedly wearing? Sometimes girls that age have brightly colored boots. Bright pink boots, for example, would be more visible to searchers. Just curious.
 
  • #115
I would have to go back and re-read all the reports, but I have something nagging me. It seems that her running away was noticed right away. So I would imagine that people were searching for her right away. How far could she have gotten ahead of LE and adults at the center In that terrain? . Could she have been hiding?
That’s what I suspect, if she didn’t get picked up. As soon as she heard voices calling for her, she probably hid and then succumbed to hypothermia in her hiding place.
 
  • #116
Thank you!

“with leads and sightings out of the area”

This must meen there’s a possibility she’s been seen outside of Rockerville? Hoping and praying so!
Posted this afternoon by Pennington County Sheriff's Office:

Although weather prohibits effective and safe outdoors search for 9 year old Serenity Dennard, the investigation remains a top priority. Serenity ran away from Black Hills Children’s Home 2/3/19. 188 interviews, 45 leads & help from FBI with leads and sightings out of the area​

There is one lady who saod
Only going by what reports we have, it is possible. She was last seen crossing the road and heading up the hill. The Home sits well off the road. By the time the staff member got to the point in the road she saw Serenity head up the hill. she had disappeared. Hard to say the exact order of events from there, although LE most definitely would know from questioning the staff and all. But I would guess the staff member may have headed up that hill to try to find Serenity, figuring she would be within sight, but failed to see her. And Serenity didn't answer when she was called for, although I find it unlikely that she wouldn't have heard. I'd guess at that point the staff member went back and got reinforcements to help find Serenity.
It is quite possible that Serenity did hide and purposefully not answer them when they called out for her, or that she kept going away from their voices so as not to be caught.
It might have seemed even funny to her. But it was so cold, I can't imagine that it would have remained funny for long. Either she got lost and couldn't find her way back, or was determined to keep going.
Part of what they are trying to figure out as well is where she thought she was going. It has been speculated that she had a favorite spot that they took the kids to on hikes when the weather was warm, and that she was going there.
The thing is, it was in the low 20s and dropping. With two hours it was in the teens. The cold would have affected her rather quickly, even with all the adrenaline.
Of course, all this is speculation. Other possibilities haven't been ruled out, such as her having gotten picked up. Maybe she just appeared to head up hill, to hide from staff, then circled back around to the road.
But if she did get picked up, it does not appear that it was by any family member.
All MOO, of course.

I know the hill/ravine area she was last seen in well. It's about 300 feet from the gym building and across a foot bridge.

There are a million small caves and crevasses she could have gotten in to.

There isn't much up the road, and it dead ends after a few miles. It's mostly used by wood cutters and hunters.

There are a ton of similar roads that were cut in the area after a fire broke out behind the Home. (Long story made short, an employee was accused but charges were dropped because she had been convicted of starting a fire elsewhere and the judge thought that fact would prejudice the jury. All other evidence was cancel.)

I know the initial search was limited to a 1 mile radius from the Home.
 
  • #117
That’s what I suspect, if she didn’t get picked up. As soon as she heard voices calling for her, she probably hid and then succumbed to hypothermia in her hiding place.
It that's true, then she should be pretty close to the Home. But the terrain is quite rough, and they said there are a lot of places she could have hidden. The weather hasn't helped at all either. (Nor does the 10-day forecast look good.)
It is also possible that while climbing or scrambling around, she got in distress and was somehow unable to cry for help or to get their attention.
It's just that with the dogs out early on, and then the second set of dogs, if she was that close, it seems like she should have been found. But they did reiterate that it was treacherous and very difficult, and that it was easy to miss little places.
 
  • #118
I know the hill/ravine area she was last seen in well. It's about 300 feet from the gym building and across a foot bridge.

There are a million small caves and crevasses she could have gotten in to.

There isn't much up the road, and it dead ends after a few miles. It's mostly used by wood cutters and hunters.

There are a ton of similar roads that were cut in the area after a fire broke out behind the Home. (Long story made short, an employee was accused but charges were dropped because she had been convicted of starting a fire elsewhere and the judge thought that fact would prejudice the jury. All other evidence was cancel.)

I know the initial search was limited to a 1 mile radius from the Home.
Is that foot bridge on the other side of S Rockerville Rd? The last report I saw said they saw her crossing S Rockerville Rd and head uphill.
 
  • #119
I would have to go back and re-read all the reports, but I have something nagging me. It seems that her running away was noticed right away. So I would imagine that people were searching for her right away. How far could she have gotten ahead of LE and adults at the center In that terrain? . Could she have been hiding?

Hypothermia would set in quite quickly. She had on a shirt, pants and boots. I figure in 20 mins she was delusional
 
  • #120
Hypothermia would set in quite quickly. She had on a shirt, pants and boots. I figure in 20 mins she was delusional
Absolutely. My question is more about the fact that if that did in fact happen, she would be out in the open and not hiding and would be easier to spot. She did not have one or two days or even hours of a Head start. People were looking for her almost immediately. So the fact that she was not found makes me believe she was either hiding or somehow got to a road and got in a car
 
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