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

[Trocroc9]

This is just a gut feeling, but I think they'll find her in or near the creek beside the school

I don’t think so I think she was picked up

 

[Trocroc9]

This is just a gut feeling, but I think they'll find her in or near the creek beside the school

I’m hoping not but you could be right . I’m hoping she was abducted to make it make more sense to me.

 

[Trocroc9]

I don’t think so I think she was picked up

Do you live near the area ? I would think they searched the creek already. I don’t know for sure let me know

 

[Trocroc9]

I don’t think she will be found I honestly think there is foul play involved nothing that any of us would expect .. hence why searches were called off. I hope I’m wrong but even so if I’m wrong and she is found in the hills I think I would be better off hoping someone took her.

 

[jewelsmac]

She says that she is receiving a lot of negative feedback, and I think it is just that idea that is behind most of it - let the professionals do their job. I do think that is generally a good idea, but I also understand wanting to help. She seems to have amassed a large number of volunteers. And LE will be searching the Saturday after her search, and it seems to be a large-scale operation as well. In fact, the Sheriff's office is specifically saying for the search on March 30th, they do NOT want volunteers.

Did I miss something, why is LE waiting until next week to search? I thought the weather had improved.

 

[misgrn]

Does anyone here have info to the search warrants presented? I saw it on a news article but wasn’t privy to who or where was presented.

They were for records. It was at one time said they were for phones and computers but it looks like most articles have been update. Here is one that mentions they were for records though.

New picture and flyer for Serenity Dennard


Here is a link from Pennington County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page stating the same.
Pennington County Sheriff's Office

 

[misgrn]

My first intuition here is foul play. This may not be true but something is suspect in this situation in moo. I work with socially emotionally disturbed kids that are runners. They always only go so far. They test run and come back. On top of this I have an 8 year old daughter and she would not make it 10 minutes in conditions like this without turning back to the house. I think she might have turned back after running and this is what was reported when others saw her at the gate. Have those that saw her been cleared ?

We don't have specific information on who was cleared or not.

Foul play is still a possibility in my mind. So much doesn't add up.

With regards to running and turning back, maybe but maybe not.

I worked many years in a psychiatric residential treatment center, similar to BHCH, in SD, with similiar kids although ours were 10 yrs old +. Keep in mind that is chronological age, not the ages they functioned at. Our kids did far more test runs over the years. They ran in all weather, some prepared with at least appropriate clothing for the weather, but many without. Very, few came back on their own. I know many that once they were caught and returned to us, stated how cold and even hungry they were but it didn't matter they were determined to get away and stay away. Where I worked was in a town so it is a bit different. Many told us about their experiences running for other placements and I know staff from other placements, and their experiences are similar to what I stated above.

I don't think she ran up the hill based on SAR people stating they struggled with that hill but the weather also got worse after she ran so imo that can't be ruled out either.

I just hope if Serenity is outside, she is found in one of the 2 searches that are planned.

 

[misgrn]

Did I miss something, why is LE waiting until next week to search? I thought the weather had improved.

We don't know why LE are waiting. Yes, the weather has improved Locals have stated most of the snow is melted. They are supposed to get rain today in the area.

Lynne planned the volunteer search prior to LE announcing the one for March 30th. It could be that LE couldn't get the required personnel there to search large scale to have searched the Saturday (March 23) prior to the volunteer search today organized by Lynne, so they chose the next weekend.

Many also feel LE's announcement was in response to people going out searching on their own since the weather is better and that there was a volunteer search set up. There are numerous people that were and still are upset by the LE/SAR's delays in searching, LE/SAR's prior lack of searching, and or the limited searches LE/SAR did, and such do many of those people planned their own or they are joining Lynne's organized search.

We don't know that is true as to why LE is searching March 30th though, it could be that was LE's plan all along. Maybe LE just didn't announce it until they had a better idea of the weather. We have had some pretty big and brutal storms in SD even in April so I could understand why they wouldn't announce a date until it got closer.

 

[misgrn]

I don't have any issue with the toys. Bringing them, showing them off, talking about them, even laughing a little - all methods of keeping her close, and all methods of actually keeping from crying. There were other things a bit odd, but not so much that. In fact, the only real issue I have after having seen the interview is that it seemed to highlight the fact that DG wasn't an active part of Serenity's life. And I reserve judgment on that, as I thought that she had some guilt on that score which seemed to lie just under the surface.

I agree. I took the toy thing and stories she shared, as DG's way of personalizing Serenity to the viewers.

RE: the use of the word "was" (not your reply but saw it somewhere and can't find it again.

I also think DG's lack of being in Serenity's life, at least somewhat recently, played into her wording, like the use of the word was. Plus, it is also likely LE told her to prepare that Serenity it deceased. The officer(s) that visited with RR (bio-mom) in prison said something like that to her as they left according to RR's interview. I would have to go listen to get the actual quote. We also know they announced it changing to a recovery mission.

I definitely found the interview odd and there were things that made me go hmmm. I know Lynne stated DG was very nervous and emotional about doing the interview so maybe that was a factor too. Maybe DG was medicated and that was why her affect seemed so off to me. I think DG has a lot to face regarding things with Serenity and that likely is impacting her now. We don't know why she hadn't been in Serenity's life lately or why she wasn't aware Serenity had been placed at BHCH. CD and/or maybe KD may have done things to keep DG away from the 2 kids she adopted with him. We see it a lot where one parent (or the new SO of that parent) tries or does alienate the other parent. I am not trying to defend DG either but because we don't know for sure, it could be more than her just "walking away."

I have plenty of opinions on that interview and the adoptive parent's actions (from what we know) but most aren't relevant to finding Serenity so I won't share them. I am trying not to judge either.

 

[Bugurl747]

Interview with Chad and Kasandra...lots of information in here:

'She's Serenity:' Missing girl's parents share daughter's story

"It sucks to look in there" and is difficult to walk by each day, said Chad Dennard as he stood last week inside his daughter's room at the family's home in Sturgis.

Serenity's room is a constant reminder for Chad, 37, and his wife Kasandra, 25, that Serenity has been missing for nearly two months after running away Feb. 3 from the Children's Home near Rockerville.

While the couple hasn't seen the 9-year-old in a long time, they can still lovingly recall her personality.

"I know, she's her own person," Kasandra chimed in as the couple sat at their kitchen table, surrounded by artwork made by their four children.

"She's a sweet girl, she's very smart, she just struggles," Kasandra said.

Those struggles involve challenging emotions and behaviors that stem from several diagnoses, including reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), she said.


Serenity's symptoms include refusing to do school work, ripping things up and breaking toys, threatening self harm and yelling at people, Kasandra said. "She has no fear of introducing herself, asking others to play or talking to others," but later becomes controlling toward people.

Another one of her symptoms is running away, whether it's from her parents, grandmother, or school. She runs away because she doesn't know how to process her emotions, or because she begins to feel too comfortable in a place, Chad and Kasandra said.

Chad said he's "100 percent" positive that Serenity similarly planned an escape from the Children's Home by having another child first run away. "That's just her M.O." he said. "She's going to wait until everything is calmed down," said Chad. "It's unexpected," Kasandra added.

The couple took Serenity to outpatient therapy for at least two-and-a-half years before deciding in July 2018 to enroll her at the Children's Home, which provides schooling and intensive inpatient therapy.

 

[Bugurl747]

Some timeline info and facts from the article:

*Serenity's dresser is mostly empty since she packed her clothes when she moved last summer to the Black Hill's Children's Home, a residential youth treatment center

*Once Serenity was removed from her family, "she was tossed through foster homes," about 12-13 homes in two years, Kasandra said.

*Chad and his ex-wife adopted Serenity in October 2014, and the couple broke up in early 2015. Chad and Kasandra began raising her in May 2015.

*Serenity was expected to be discharged September 2019 unless she needed less or more treatment based on her progress.

*Kasandra and Chad said their daughter was making progress until Christmastime, which is triggering to Serenity since she was taken from her birth family on Christmas day.

*The family saw Serenity four or five times a month, either for family therapy sessions or just to visit. Chad and Kasandra also took their daughter home during holidays. Serenity was allowed to call them twice a week, and she called each time she had the chance.

*Serenity has planned escapes by packing a suitcase and leaving in the middle of the night (her house has an alarm to help prevent that), convincing another child to run with her after one of two day-care supervisors temporarily left the room, and having a lunch lady pack her lunch in a bag so she could run away from school, the couple said.

'She's Serenity:' Missing girl's parents share daughter's story

 

[Bugurl747]

Another interview with Chad and Kasandra:

Dennards laser-focused on finding Serenity

Since their daughter ran away nearly two months ago, Chad and Kasandra Dennard have tried to remain hopeful by focusing on efforts to find and raise awareness about their missing 9-year-old.

State Sen. Lynne DiSanto organizing a search for Serenity is helpful, but the videos she made with Serenity's birth mother, biological relatives and adoptive mother aren't helpful, Kasandra said.

Kasandra learned her daughter was missing when a counselor at the Children's Home called after search and rescue personal had already arrived in the afternoon of Feb. 3.

She said she "freaked out" and called Chad, who calls Feb. 3 a "horrible day." It was difficult to not immediately drive to the Children's Home, but the sheriff's office told them to stay put in case Serenity was trying to return home and someone dropped her off, Kasandra said

A deputy drove them to the Children's Home the next morning where they met the director of the Children's Home Society, learned about the search and rescue efforts, and were introduced to a detective on the case and someone who would serve as their point of contact with the sheriff's office.

Kasandra said she learned that after Serenity ran away around 10:45 a.m., Children's Home staff first searched inside the buildings since Serenity had hidden there before. She said staff began to search outside after someone saw her outdoors around 11 a.m. Staff then called 911 at 12:26 p.m.

Kasandra and Chad said they believe Children's Home staff were doing what they were supposed to by following the facility's protocol but wish the protocol was different.

"Do I wish that they would have called 911 immediately? Do I wish they would have called me immediately? Yes. Because I feel like it would have been a better head start. That's a lot of critical time," said Kasandra, adding that she hopes the facility will change how they handle future incidents.

 

[Bugurl747]

Weather for today's search in Rockerville, SD will be Cloudy with intermittent Showers

Temps range 35'-42'

Rockerville Hourly Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for SD 57702

 

[Yellow Rose]

Praying today’s the day Serenity is found. I think her name is quite the anomaly. The recent articles make it more clear.

 

[PayrollNerd]

The interviews with the adoptive parents confirm what I've long suspected, there have been multiple unannounced, private searches for Serenity. I know everyone is appalled with the senator's notoriety and that search but seriously, that area around the children's home has frequently been trampled over already. Any evidence of Serenity's path once outside the home was long gone after that first night. Even security cameras that do work, can be inactivated when the temperature drops to a certain level. I'll give the senator credit, her plan was/is to pair a seasoned searcher with a novice searcher. Hopefully, everyone will be safe during today's search.

 

[ilovepierre]

I’m still here.
Hoping and waiting for news that Serenity has been found.
I want to believe she was picked up by someone (hopefully with good intentions), but you’d think by now that that person or people would have come forward saying they have Serenity.
IMO, she got lost in the woods and succumbed to the elements

JMO

 

[Jim_M]

I hope your tag line will come true for little Serenity: One day, the lost will be found

 

[ilovepierre]

I hope your tag line will come true for little Serenity: One day, the lost will be found

I hope so!

 

[ilovechili]

Completely agree!

The camera thing bothers me too since there seems to be conflicting information coming from former staff and visitors, even someone on here mentioned there were cameras but then others say there are not. Listening to the LE statements made through through the media certainly aren't clear regarding cameras or camera footage, imo.

Our kids that ran in town, were definitely able to get help from strangers. It always kind of amazed me how many strangers were willing to give them food, clothes, rides, etc. All the staff were also very grateful that no one hurt any of them. We did have one incident where some girls were followed by older males but they were close to the center and ran back.

Agree. They have (perhaps for the investigation?) been purposely vague or noncommittal about cameras, alarms, footage and so forth.

Yes, the very remoteness of this facility and the terrain that they say themselves inhibits searches seems for the very same reason not be an ideal location for a place that has runners who would encounter dangerous terrain and easily become lost... Or security in place to help prevent it.

As always, jmo, and just based on standard logic, not any firsthand knowledge...

 

[ilovechili]

I don’t think she even would try. I have this feeling she went up the hill and then right back down realizing there was no chance in her clothing. I bet she was cold in a few minutes.

Nothing in this case has made sense from the start, that is for sure. The ones that even allegedly saw her recently refused to be interviewed, never providing a reason that I have heard.

There have only been entirely conflicting "facts" as well. From the get go it was said that she ran off outside from the gym. It was some time later that was then into a hallway and not outside. It seemed at first they searched outside and called 911 immediately. Later that changes to they searched inside and did not call 911 for quite a long time. We then hear someone actually saw her outside and happened to pull in and advise staff. Did they have a clue before that or not? Why were these people not mentioned in the beginning? And so much more...

While some of this may possibly be able to be put down to miscommunication, there are these examples and many other things, too many I feel to be explained that easily.

The only thing I know for sure is something happened to this child. One day upon inactivity in this case or the closing of it, I hope the information is released where the press and public can see all interviews, statements, camera footage (if any) and more from this investigation, maybe then we will know what is fact and what is not.

All possibilities are still open in my mind. Nothing of the little that has been shared has erased a single possibility in my mind. That includes foul play, negligence, that she did run and freeze, being picked up by someone know or a stranger, and more.

Cameras and security, just for one example, might have helped with ruling out some of these things. I find it very unusual such a facility would not have them. This means too then that any person can drive into and approach and enter this facility where children reside??

jmo.