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

[PommyMommy]

Thread 1:

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

 

[SkipperKey3]

IF this is true, why haven't they found her?! A little child wondering around, come on.

Again, what are you trying to say? What are you referencing to? Are you saying that she is still alive two months later walking around in the wilderness within a mile or two from the Home? There's no way she would still be out there wondering around. Either she got picked up by somebody, or she remained in the extreme elements. If she wasn't picked up, there is very very little chance that she found shelter from the weather and is still out there wondering around. I'm not sure why would even suggest that such a scenario is probable.
As for why they didn't find her the first day, a lot has been said on RAD, and her impulse, from what we have been told, would have been to run and hide. I'm not an expert on RAD, I am only going by all that I've learned since the beginning of this case.

 

[SkipperKey3]

She should have been found ASAP. A child wondering around in frigid weather, I can't even imagine.

She should have been. But she was determined, it seems, NOT to be found right away. She had a history of hiding in small places. And according to the Sheriff, the area is very rugged with a lot of places where she could have hidden. Once she was outside in the wilderness, in the hills and trees, off school property, and hiding, then the chances of her being found were reduced dramatically.

 

[Scrapper18]

Don’t all states have residential treatment homes?

I’ve been following closely, yet restricting myself from commenting much because I have a 13 year old son that fits the description of Serenity. I’m trying hard to keep my comments about her and not my child. But, I do have some “inside” information on the availability of mental health care.

Yes, every state I have looked at has residential mental health care. Sometimes though, if you want your child in a pediatric center, you may have to drive 3-4 hours. Also, insurance plays a key role.

My son is adopted internationally, so state insurance for life doesn’t apply. We also make too much money for state insurance. That leaves us with our private insurance, which will cover 30 nights a year for a mental health hospital or residential home. This makes it tough getting the help he may need. I know we are not the only ones in this predicament. Yes, we’ve learned to fight and are currently jumping through hoops to get him what he needs. In the meantime, it is exhausting and challenging.

I feel for Serenity’s parents. I have no doubt they have tried everything they can to get her the proper care. When we have placed our son in a mental health facility, no one has ever asked if there was a noncustodial parent who needed to be notified. Every facility has also had very strict visitation time. A parent doesn’t get to go see their child daily. I’ve never understood this, especially with an adopted child who has issues and anxiety surrounded by abandonment.

I say this to let people know Serenity’s parents are dealing with a broken system. Our research has come a long way in figuring out the effects of early trauma in children. Yet, we have not brought our standard of care and techniques up to what these kids need.

While we want to pass blame and point fingers, it is not the parents’ fault, it’s not the home’s fault, it’s not LE’s fault. Serenity was caught up in the perfect storm. Could each of these people and/or entities done better? Probably. Hindsight is 20/20. But, I refuse to point fingers.

(Unless we find out foul play was the cause, then I reserve the right to point fingers.)

Praying for this family and all involved. Praying, by some miracle, this child is still alive.

JMO

 

[K9Enzo]

Appropriate? How can it be appropriate? This is a little child missing for over a month! I find this totally unacceptable.

I may have misunderstood your statement but I can assure you SAR has put together an incredible effort to find this little girl. Their response is far from unacceptable. It weighs VERY heavy on them when the missing is not found, especially a child.

In order to put boots on the ground a very coordinated effort has to happen. They move fast because they are skilled and experienced. They would have even looked at the psychology of what a 9 year old child, with personal info given by caretakers, would likely do in this situation.

This will sound grim but IMO, I believe she perished within 8 hours of going missing. Children often times will hide and not respond to searchers because they are afraid. I believe she's under a downed tree, wedged between large rocks or under some type of brush. She most likely tried to burrow in somewhere, she's certainly small enough. That area has some tough terrain, then add the harsh weather conditions. I'll spare everyone more details. It's very sad and upsetting.

What would you have done different if you were SAR?

 

[human]

I’ve been following closely, yet restricting myself from commenting much because I have a 13 year old son that fits the description of Serenity. I’m trying hard to keep my comments about her and not my child. But, I do have some “inside” information on the availability of mental health care.

Yes, every state I have looked at has residential mental health care. Sometimes though, if you want your child in a pediatric center, you may have to drive 3-4 hours. Also, insurance plays a key role.

My son is adopted internationally, so state insurance for life doesn’t apply. We also make too much money for state insurance. That leaves us with our private insurance, which will cover 30 nights a year for a mental health hospital or residential home. This makes it tough getting the help he may need. I know we are not the only ones in this predicament. Yes, we’ve learned to fight and are currently jumping through hoops to get him what he needs. In the meantime, it is exhausting and challenging.

I feel for Serenity’s parents. I have no doubt they have tried everything they can to get her the proper care. When we have placed our son in a mental health facility, no one has ever asked if there was a noncustodial parent who needed to be notified. Every facility has also had very strict visitation time. A parent doesn’t get to go see their child daily. I’ve never understood this, especially with an adopted child who has issues and anxiety surrounded by abandonment.

I say this to let people know Serenity’s parents are dealing with a broken system. Our research has come a long way in figuring out the effects of early trauma in children. Yet, we have not brought our standard of care and techniques up to what these kids need.

While we want to pass blame and point fingers, it is not the parents’ fault, it’s not the home’s fault, it’s not LE’s fault. Serenity was caught up in the perfect storm. Could each of these people and/or entities done better? Probably. Hindsight is 20/20. But, I refuse to point fingers.

(Unless we find out foul play was the cause, then I reserve the right to point fingers.)

Praying for this family and all involved. Praying, by some miracle, this child is still alive.

JMO

My sister has international adoption. Their income is so high that they did have to pay the cost of the treatment homes.

I am not sure how it works with domestic adoption but I imagine the costs are means tested as well.

I jave a few friends that work in residential treatment centers. They said that they are filled with children who have been adopted.

I think parents need to be told of all of the possiblities. My sister and husband were never told about the extensive abuse the children suffered.

I have friends with very successful adoptions.

It is sad, but some children are so incredibly damaged. Parents must be informed so they know if they can meet the challenges

 

[Scrapper18]

My sister has international adoption. Their income is so high that they did have to pay the cost of the treatment homes.

I am not sure how it works with domestic adoption but I imagine the costs are means tested as well.

I jave a few friends that work in residential treatment centers. They said that they are filled with children who have been adopted.

I think parents need to be told of all of the possiblities. My sister and husband were never told about the extensive abuse the children suffered.

I have friends with very successful adoptions.

It is sad, but some children are so incredibly damaged. Parents must be informed so they know if they can meet the challenges

We were not told anything either. Studies now say just the rejection and abandonment that comes with adoption makes adoption, in and of itself, a trauma. I love my kids to death and wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. Yet, daily, we have issues to work through. We live differently than the average person. I just understand Serenity’s family, and my heart breaks for them.

 

[Bugurl747]

Search continues for missing South Dakota girl

Search continues for missing South Dakota girl

More than 60 volunteers signed up to help with the search Sunday for missing 9-year-old Serenity Dennard in South Dakota seven weeks after she went missing.

While they did not find the girl, the intention of this search was to help law enforcement narrow down the search area and hopefully bring her home.

“I think serenity’s story speaks to people on a number of levels,” said South Dakota Rep. Lynne DiSanto. “We look in her eyes and we see our own children. When we look at that and we see that it compels us to help. An informed community can get involved and do what they can and today we’re really seeing that”

Each group searched about a mile

 

[Bugurl747]

video included

Dozens of volunteers head out to help in the search for Serenity

Dozens of volunteers head out to help in the search for Serenity

Sen. Lynne DiSanto's search for Serenity was meant to start at 11, but volunteers arrived earlier. Some even made the drive to Rockerville from out of state to join the search.

"I think Serenity's story speaks to people on a number of levels. We look in her eyes and we see our own children. When we look at that and we see that it compels us to help. An informed community can get involved and do what they can and today we're really seeing that," says Lynne

With so many volunteers looking for Serenity safety needs to be taken into consideration. Each volunteer signed a waiver and was given a list of things to remember on the search.

"My number one priority is keeping everybody organized and going so I've ended up finding myself sort of behind the scenes because it is important that all the people that are here return safely at the end of the day so today my focus is to keep the search team safe and get them back," says Lynne.

Each group searched about a mile. Eager to do what they can to help even if she isn't found.

"If we don't find her and we search thoroughly it will give the other searchers that are going to be searching through the sheriff's department a better idea where to look and where not to look," says Mark

"You know obviously we all want to hope this little girl is still alive, but if she's not we want to know that too so we can get her back to her family," says Mark DiSanto, who was assisting with the search as well.

 

[SkipperKey3]

With temps in the low 60s and partly sunny the next couple days, the Sheriff's Dept has decided to move up the next search from this coming Saturday to Wednesday, with more searches over the weekend:

Serenity Dennard search resumes Wednesday

The official search for a missing 9-year-old girl resumes Wednesday, according to the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.

The search for Serenity Dennard, who went missing from the Black Hills Children’s home Feb. 3, was suspended because of harsh weather conditions. “As we stated previously, to maximize the effectiveness of the resources used, we needed improved weather conditions, particularly for the K-9s and helicopters,” a sheriff’s office release stated.

Last week the sheriff’s office stated the search would resume Saturday, March 30; but that was moved up to Wednesday. The sheriff’s office will continue the search on Saturday and Sunday if necessary. If the weekend weather deteriorates, the search will be rescheduled for the next weekend, April 6-7.​

 

[Trocroc9]

To all the moms and dads out there that adopt children with special needs (whether known or unbeknownst upon adoption) KUDOS. Also the same to all the parents that have to deal with social/emotional behaviors with their children. I have very typical children and they can be difficult to deal with!!

On another note I also work with middle/ high school students with these very same behaviors that include elopement. I only have a 6 hour a day workday as mandated by NY state because of the intensity of the behaviors and it really is very exhausting even with those few hours. So it is difficult to imagine a full day with children that push limits all day everyday.

One thing I have to say about when students elope is that it is probably the scariest situation staff has to face. It’s the unknown. I bet that staff was panicking. I think decisions were hard in the panic of it all.

With that said I have experience in this situation and have lived it many times I’m just not really getting how she got out of sight. At my school we just don’t really allow that to happen but then again it was the weekend so that leads me to believe staffing was not sufficient jmo.

ETA: It was a 9 year old. To me this is a very young child. Not very fast - determined maybe but still should have been cut off on the run.

 

[ilovechili]

Working with children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders, elopement (running away) is a common reality. In most cases, it’s an attention seeking maneuver. In other cases, it’s an attempt to get away from (avoid) a situation. Sometimes it’s a combination of both. It’s a temporary solution to a fast trigger for the child, without much ability to think of the long term consequences of this action (elopement).

What’s hard is the staff at the facility spent so much time looking inside the building, not realizing she was outside until she was spotted by the folks dropping of another kid.

If she was expecting attention, that attention was all indoors for some time while she was outside the facility waiting for someone to chase her and find her...

I agree with most, with the weather conditions, she didn’t get too far, unless there is some kind of savior situation we could never imagine until more information is released.

Hopefully, this case provides more supports for these unique issues and successful treatment centers for kids who have Reactive Attachment Disorder, among other mental health diagnoses, and better funding and coordination with juvenile justice and the department supervising kids in state care, or who have gone through foster care and those who have uneven adoptions. Also, 911 is a community service and should be called as soon as there is a missing child in any facility. Hindsight is 20/20 though.

IMO

I so very much agree with this. Well said.

 

[Jabarn]

I so very much agree with this. Well said.

Thanks, chili. I think her young age may have deterred other angencies, like the DJJ, who deal with teenagers. There needs to more help for the younger ones who demonstrate similar oppositional characteristics.

I do hold out hope this little one will come marching out of the woods. If so, she would be the toughest kid ever. So we wait and see how the search progresses. Fingers crossed.

 

[Trocroc9]

I know I should know this but I’m so confused with the media reports. Was she seen and followed by staff up a hill ? Or were the only reports of her outside at a gate around 11:00 am? This is impotrtant for me to understand. In the program where I work once a student leaves school grounds police need to be called immediately. I guess this would help solidify some type of timeline if protocol is handled in same type of way.

 

[ilovechili]

I agree. I wanted to add that while yes cars can approach, the buildings are locked to emtry from the outside. So they need a key, FOB or to be let into the building by staff. That is one bit of info that hasn't wavered.

Where I worked we didn't have external or hallway cameras either. They were only on the unit and in time out rooms. Maybe it was a funding thing. Staff would not have been able to just sit and watch it so maybe since it was a rare need they didn't put them there. Most of our kids that ran, went out their windows, when they were already outside, or during school.

Having cameras was still pretty controversial at the time our new building was built so maybe there was a limit at the time. I don't remember all those details since it was long ago.

Thank you for that info, I truly wondered. I heard it said entry was that way but I never heard it confirmed that I recall by either the home nor LE. It still leaves me with other questions but it does answer that question.

 

[ilovechili]

I worked in a similar facility in SD but our kids were 10-18 and our center was in town. When I first started the center was licensed as a group home but after the new building was built, we transitioned into a psychiatric residential treatment facility. Here is how ours runaway protocols worked.

When kids ran, staff could only follow to the property line. So if a resident left the property and kept running, protocol was to radio/call the supervisor so they could call the on-call person. On-call was one of the following people: the program director, associate program director, and 2 therapists. After that short call, the supervisor called 911. It typically took 15-30 minutes for an officer to arrive but could take longer if there were emergency type calls (domestic violence, serious car accident, assaults, etc.) Sometimes, LE arrived quicker if an officer was closer.

When we could follow the runaways, we still called on-call but then they might go look or call in extra staff to go look for the resident that ran. 911 was still called though.

I would imagine that BHCH would have something set up to get extra people to help search but who knows. Especially with their location. I can't imagine they have a bunch of extra staff on the weekends.

We didn't have a lot of places to hide in the new building but our old one did. In that case, it would be a short but thorough search 10-15 minutes. We didn't have large building and only a small fenced in yard so not too hard to search. If the resident wasn't found, we would follow the above procedures.

We were always told it was better to report it to 911 and then call back to say they were found. Especially since the arrival time for officers could be longer. The info went out over police communication but it was a brief description. If a child ran and returned on their own, a police officer (typically 2) came to talk to them. If it happened during school ? then sometimes it was one of the public school resource officers that came to talk to the resident.


I get that the staff thought she was inside but it was inside only one building because we were told the the doors leading into the buildings were locked. So she could only be in the school/gym building. I can't see there being a ton of accessible places to hide there that would take them an hour + to search. Plus, the staff knew by 11 am Serenity was outside because of the witness that saw Serenity at the cattle guard. So why search inside for so long? Again, conflicting info.

I personally, based on years of experience and training, believe the almost 2 hour delay was a huge error! Not only would staff know it would take at least 20 minutes before an officer would arrive, they likely knew about the incoming weather so that should have made the situation more dire. I get hindsight is 20/20 but I can't get over that delay. I don't understand how the Sheriff's Office spokeswoman stated there was no standard of even to call for help when discussing the delay. She is right for private citizens and such but as a PRTF or even group home, BHCH should have strict protocols regarding all that, not even just BHCH protocols but ones that come from outside agencies like DSS, licensing, accreditation boards, state and federal governments all can come into play with that.



Children's Home staff called 911 later than initially reported

I do agree LE would likely get fed up if resources were wasted. They would likely tell BHCH to step up safeguards to prevent runaways as much as they can, change something but they would still assist because that is their job.

The thing is though, having 1 officer arrive by 11:30 am, would have allowed that officer to access the situation and then they could have gotten more ER personnel in to search the property and had SAR on standby. If she did indeed run, that might have been enough to find her alive.

MOO

I so agree and all of this is the case, the conflicting reports and the statements that do not add up. It is not a case of looking for something, the very conflicting reports and statements have created these questions. imho.

 

[SkipperKey3]

I know I should know this but I’m so confused with the media reports. Was she seen and followed by staff up a hill ? Or were the only reports of her outside at a gate around 11:00 am? This is impotrtant for me to understand. In the program where I work once a student leaves school grounds police need to be called immediately. I guess this would help solidify some type of timeline if protocol is handled in same type of way.

The latest word as far as we know from MSM is that she ran out of the gym. The staff searched inside for 15 minutes believing she was inside. After 15 minutes she was seen by a couple (or one of the couple) out by the road. One of them went in to tell the staff, and the staff then re-organized it to an outside search, but I don't believe any of the staff actually saw Serenity outside, just the couple. After reporting to staff, the couple drove up and down the road looking for Serenity, but she had disappeared. Serenity may have been either inside or outside for the 15 minutes, as the door to the gym didn't lead directly outside (we think), but she did head outside at some point during the 15 minutes. The Home sits well back from the road, as does the parking lot. By the time the staff looked outside, Serenity was not to be found. I think they speculated that she headed up into the hills, but she was actually lasts seen walking along the road by the gate.

Does that help? That's a compilation of what facts we have been told, to the best of my recollection, although there are some conflicting reports with MSM.

 

[SkipperKey3]

I so agree and all of this is the case, the conflicting reports and the statements that do not add up. It is not a case of looking for something, the very conflicting reports and statements have created these questions. imho.

I think - just my opinion - that most of the conflicting "facts" are due more to MSM reporting. I think LE has a better handle on what the facts actually are.

 

[Trocroc9]

The latest word as far as we know from MSM is that she ran out of the gym. The staff searched inside for 15 minutes believing she was inside. After 15 minutes she was seen by a couple (or one of the couple) out by the road. One of them went in to tell the staff, and the staff then re-organized it to an outside search, but I don't believe any of the staff actually saw Serenity outside, just the couple. After reporting to staff, the couple drove up and down the road looking for Serenity, but she had disappeared. Serenity may have been either inside or outside for the 15 minutes, as the door to the gym didn't lead directly outside (we think), but she did head outside at some point during the 15 minutes. The Home sits well back from the road, as does the parking lot. By the time the staff looked outside, Serenity was not to be found. I think they speculated that she headed up into the hills, but she was actually lasts seen walking along the road by the gate.

Does that help? That's a compilation of what facts we have been told, to the best of my recollection, although there are some conflicting reports with MSM.

Thank you for clearing that up but who is the couple and why does that make my hair stand up on end. Maybe I watch too many ID channel shows but I guess my question is why was the couple allowed to go looking for her without staff ? Ugh I find this case very frustrating and feel something is out of sorts but thank you so much for clearing some facts as you know them. Very much appreciated.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Was hoping to check and see some news of little Serenity after the search(es). Keeping her, the family and all the searchers in my thoughts. This little girl needs to be brought home.