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

[mickey2942]

I am surprised that searchers with trained dogs have not found at least a scent trail. The snow and wind didn't help. But now, with the thaw, a dog should be able to scent a body eventually.

What will be odd, is if no body is ever found. Leading to more questions...

 

[misgrn]

I'm wondering if she ever made a good decision in her whole life. She kept getting out of jail/prison on probation or parole and kept violating the conditions and getting thrown right back in again. Her claims in her interview that she was doing really good raising her baby if only they had stopped throwing her back in jail, was laughable. And the part about getting thrown back in jail because she was caught shoplifting because she had to steal things to sell so she could buy formula and diapers? Priceless. This child never had a chance in life from the day she was born.

Yes, there is way more to the story there, imo. I know it is about supposed to be all about Serenity and sharing her story to get awareness that she is missing and to give some insight into Serenity's life. However, after listening to a couple of the interviews and then looking up some of those interviewed definitely gave some insight into how Serenity was impacted by their actions and/or choices. It is no wonder why Serenity had issues.

I am not saying they have to share all their dirt or skeletons but I personally would appreciate honesty if they are going to share that info. It just adds more conflicts to a case with so much conflicting info already, imo.

I also know it is natural for people to try and defend their actions and/or choices and to put themselves in a good light. They brought those things up though so in my opinion, they could have said they didn't want to discuss it or whatever instead of muddying the water. There are things that may shed light into what Serenity was dealing with or had gone through. It may help figure out Serenity's actions after she ran too, if she did indeed run.

Many of those interviews just left me with more questions and made my heart break even more for Serenity.

I know LE has more information and I hope they were given relevant and truthful info.

 

[ilovechili]

This case has been heartbreaking and frustrating from the start.

We do now have quite a bit more information on Serenity's background, whether we like the people or not, they have helped fill in much of that information.

What we do not have still is more information on what happened that day, cameras and info with regard to the home, employees, events, the car and all of those things...

And the most important thing of all, where is this poor child?

 

[beatrixpotter]

People that do not get along are not doing kids a favor by staying together.

People who don't get along shouldn't adopt children! That was my point. They had to have known they were planning to divorce. It's not possible that they didn't know before the adoption if it was only a few months from adoption to divorce. They should never have adopted her if they had no intention of providing any stability for her. I feel like you are being deliberately obtuse here.

I didn't say people should never divorce and stay together for the kids. But people who are clearly planning to divorce should never adopt a child when they know they can't provide stability to a child in need. IF they chose to adopt her regardless then they had a moral obligation to provide that support for her instead of putting their own needs and inability to get along over her. Not getting along is a pathetic excuse to further traumatize an already traumatized child with a history of disruption in her life. It's unconscionable to do that to a child like Serenity. You don't choose to adopt a child KNOWING you can't possibly provide any stability and plan to immediately disrupt her family life again. I can't imagine anyone choosing to defend that.

 

[human]

People who don't get along shouldn't adopt children! That was my point. They had to have known they were planning to divorce. It's not possible that they didn't know before the adoption if it was only a few months from adoption to divorce. They should never have adopted her if they had no intention of providing any stability for her. I feel like you are being deliberately obtuse here.

I didn't say people should never divorce and stay together for the kids. But people who are clearly planning to divorce should never adopt a child when they know they can't provide stability to a child in need. IF they chose to adopt her regardless then they had a moral obligation to provide that support for her instead of putting their own needs and inability to get along over her. Not getting along is a pathetic excuse to further traumatize an already traumatized child with a history of disruption in her life. It's unconscionable to do that to a child like Serenity. You don't choose to adopt a child KNOWING you can't possibly provide any stability and plan to immediately disrupt her family life again. I can't imagine anyone choosing to defend that.

Where did the idea come from that they were planning on getting divorced before?

I am saying that having difficult children may have brought out things they never realized existed in their relationship. Things that caused resentment and disdain.

Life changes things. For example, if you have money, good job, nice home, etc, and unemployment or serious illness sets in, marriage changes.

Yes, people should be perfect and adjust lovingly but some do not

I have been married a mere 46 years but I understand that life is only perfect in hindsight

 

[Rocco]

People who don't get along shouldn't adopt children! That was my point. They had to have known they were planning to divorce. It's not possible that they didn't know before the adoption if it was only a few months from adoption to divorce. They should never have adopted her if they had no intention of providing any stability for her. I feel like you are being deliberately obtuse here.

I didn't say people should never divorce and stay together for the kids. But people who are clearly planning to divorce should never adopt a child when they know they can't provide stability to a child in need. IF they chose to adopt her regardless then they had a moral obligation to provide that support for her instead of putting their own needs and inability to get along over her. Not getting along is a pathetic excuse to further traumatize an already traumatized child with a history of disruption in her life. It's unconscionable to do that to a child like Serenity. You don't choose to adopt a child KNOWING you can't possibly provide any stability and plan to immediately disrupt her family life again. I can't imagine anyone choosing to defend that.

IIRC, she came to live with them in March of 2014 but wasn't officially adopted until October of 2014. That's 7 months to bring out things in the relationship that indicated it wasn't going to work out. Yet only a few months after the adoption, they divorced. Seems to me a divorce takes a few months to finalize so it's possible they filed right after they adopted her. I don't get it either.

 

[Seattle1]

IIRC, she came to live with them in March of 2014 but wasn't officially adopted until October of 2014. That's 7 months to bring out things in the relationship that indicated it wasn't going to work out. Yet only a few months after the adoption, they divorced. Seems to me a divorce takes a few months to finalize so it's possible they filed right after they adopted her. I don't get it either.

Serenity is 9 years old. I'm a bit confused by the posts about the Serenity's adoptive parents.

Chad Dennard, 37 and his unnamed ex-wife, age unknown, adopted Serenity October 2014.

They broke up (and/or divorced?) early 2015.

May 2015, in steps new wife Kasandra Dennard, 25.

In news report, the couple said Serenity runs away because she doesn't know how to process her emotions, or because she begins to feel too comfortable in a place.

The child is only 9!

<modsnip>

MOO


Parents: Missing South Dakota girl had history of escapes

 

[SkipperKey3]

Serenity is 9 years old. I'm a bit confused by the posts about the Serenity's adoptive parents.

Chad Dennard, 37 and his unnamed ex-wife, age unknown, adopted Serenity October 2014.

They broke up (and/or divorced?) early 2015.

May 2015, in steps new wife Kasandra Dennard, 25.

In news report, the couple said Serenity runs away because she doesn't know how to process her emotions, or because she begins to feel too comfortable in a place.

The child is only 9!
<modsnip>
MOO


Parents: Missing South Dakota girl had history of escapes

Ex-wife - yes, divorced - is Darcie. The divorce became final in early 2015.
I haven't seen any reason to think that Serenity dislikes Chad and KaSandra. But all we know is what we are presented with in MSM. The reason she ran seems to be more related to her diagnosis than anything directly to do with any of her parents.
From all the articles and interviews, it seems like bio-mom, bio-dad, and all three adoptive parents do care for her.
After Darcie's interview I wondered why she hadn't seen Serenity in so long. But over this weekend she clarified this through Lynne DiSanto. Things between her and Chad aren't good, to say the least. But I no longer feel like Darcie deliberately abandoned Serenity.
So at this point I am less concerned with trying to analyze the family dynamics that may have contributed to this situation. If I am going to cast blame anywhere, it might be on the fact that she was tossed around to 14 (by one count I read) different family situations in a short period of time while still so young, before settling in with the Dennards. Emotionally she would have been better off if she had been allowed to stay with her maternal grandparents.
But in the end, the path that led her to first getting outpatient therapy and then ultimately to be enrolled in the 18-month plan at the Home is what it is. The most important thing is to find her.

 

[ilovechili]

Serenity is 9 years old. I'm a bit confused by the posts about the Serenity's adoptive parents.

Chad Dennard, 37 and his unnamed ex-wife, age unknown, adopted Serenity October 2014.

They broke up (and/or divorced?) early 2015.

May 2015, in steps new wife Kasandra Dennard, 25.

In news report, the couple said Serenity runs away because she doesn't know how to process her emotions, or because she begins to feel too comfortable in a place.

The child is only 9!

<Modsnip>

MOO


Parents: Missing South Dakota girl had history of escapes

<modsnip>

In the adoptive mom's interview, it sounds as if it was joint in the beginning with regard to custody (although I think she was with Chad more) and she saw her at first. She claims at some point he moved and she had no idea where they were.

There is also a boy they adopted around the same time and she claimed Chad was pretty close to the boy, way more so than Serenity. He had both children.

The mom's interview is worth a watch if you have not seen it. Chad and wife refused for a long time to give an interview and it appears to me that when they did it was likely all preplanned as to what could be asked, etc. jmo.

<modsnip> While the bio parents made many mistakes without a doubt, one can hear their regret and they do not deny mistakes.

<modsnip
Mom's interview shows she never read Serenity's history fully and some other things. Not impressed, but jmo. She "claims" Chad and wife moved away and she had no contact information for them and that was when she stopped seeing Serenity. modsnip>
Mom's interview with the senator if you have not seen it.

 

[ilovechili]

Ex-wife - yes, divorced - is Darcie. The divorce became final in early 2015.
I haven't seen any reason to think that Serenity dislikes Chad and KaSandra. But all we know is what we are presented with in MSM. The reason she ran seems to be more related to her diagnosis than anything directly to do with any of her parents.
From all the articles and interviews, it seems like bio-mom, bio-dad, and all three adoptive parents do care for her.
After Darcie's interview I wondered why she hadn't seen Serenity in so long. But over this weekend she clarified this through Lynne DiSanto. Things between her and Chad aren't good, to say the least. But I no longer feel like Darcie deliberately abandoned Serenity.
So at this point I am less concerned with trying to analyze the family dynamics that may have contributed to this situation. If I am going to cast blame anywhere, it might be on the fact that she was tossed around to 14 (by one count I read) different family situations in a short period of time while still so young, before settling in with the Dennards. Emotionally she would have been better off if she had been allowed to stay with her maternal grandparents.
But in the end, the path that led her to first getting outpatient therapy and then ultimately to be enrolled in the 18-month plan at the Home is what it is. The most important thing is to find her.

I agree the important thing is to find her.

Hearing from all of the parents involved finally did fill in many gaps for all who wondered when she went into the home, why and many other things about her life, most of which are heartbreaking. If anything, knowing it may help someone think twice before making a choice which lands them in jail (bio parents) or before adopting, or maybe even before divorcing (adoptive parents).

jmo.

 

[SkipperKey3]

Where is Serenity? That is the question everybody here wants answered.
My various thoughts...
When she first went missing, I was pretty sure that she simply left on her own, and ultimately was a victim of the weather. I still hold that, but I am surprised by the failure of the S&R teams to find any sign of her. I figured that she was somewhere well hidden, but that crews would eventually locate her.
It has been said that if she headed out, she would have become delirious in a very short period of time. In that state, she could have wandered quite far, actually. I thought initially that this would be unlikely, but it may well be the case. Initially they said that she may have been trying to get home to Sturgis, and we know she had a visit from family the day before, so that seems logical - but I don't know how logical, given her disorder. She had a history of trying to run from that home as well. But it is likely that while she had trouble processing her feelings while at home, while in the Children's Home it still felt like home would be a better place to be.
I also thought that she would be found very close to the main road. (I'm sure they checked places like where the creek runs under the road, for example.) It is difficult to get into the brain of a 9-year-old with this disorder, but I still felt it most likely that she would stick to what she knew, that being the road that leads north. And in fact, that was how she was last spotted.
I also pretty much dismissed the possibility of some random person simply picking her up, as the weather was bad and getting worse, and the road was a seldom-traveled road, so it seemed to me between those two variables that there would be little if any traffic.
I liked the idea that she may have tried to come back to the Home, except that all afternoon there were people looking all around the Home, and it seems unlikely that she could have approached the Home unnoticed.
I also entertained the idea that somebody from the Home was responsible, but it seems like LE has been leaving no stones unturned, and I'm sure that includes checking into anybody who would have been at the Home that day. So that possibility also has diminished.
From the outset I had hoped that she managed to find a place safe and warm. At first I was focused on 'warm', but after time the 'safe' part became more important. If she had found a place warm, she should have turned up by now.
I never really thought any of the family was involved. That seemed pretty far fetched. CD and KD could have taken her without the mystery, and none of the rest of the family seemed to even know she was there. And again, even bio-Dad admitted that LE checked him out thoroughly just to be sure he had no involvement.
So where does that leave us? Sadly, not in a good spot. No theory, other than her wandering quite far afield or finding a little place to hide - which hasn't yet been found - seems to have a high likelihood. But nor can they be dismissed. It IS possible she was picked up, for example.
All we can do is sit back and wait, and wonder - where are you, Serenity?
And BTW, we are fast approaching her 10th birthday. (May 12th) It would be really nice if after all of this, she were able to share that in the presence of her family.

 

[ilovechili]

There are definitely some internal dynamics that are strained, to say the least. And there has been some animosity thrown around. To me it is all beside the point. Find Serenity!

One plus is it sounds like the adopted mom and the bio family have become somewhat friendly and committed to her being found. If by any slim chance she is alive, that can only be a good thing for her.

I agree the point is to find her--I hope that happens.

 

[SkipperKey3]

One plus is it sounds like the adopted mom and the bio family have become somewhat friendly and committed to her being found. If by any slim chance she is alive, that can only be a good thing for her.

I agree the point is to find her--I hope that happens.

I do too. I haven't heard what the Sheriff's Dept has planned going forward. Surely more searches must be in the works, but I haven't heard. I know that their search efforts on Sunday got cut short because they got called away due to the tragic incident involving 6-year-old Sadie Whitetwin.

 

[ilovechili]

I do too. I haven't heard what the Sheriff's Dept has planned going forward. Surely more searches must be in the works, but I haven't heard. I know that their search efforts on Sunday got cut short because they got called away due to the tragic incident involving 6-year-old Sadie Whitetwin.

I had heard about that incident. Heartbreaking as are all. There is little detail on that either. Was she with her family, it does not even say that? I would not think she would be up there alone.

Hopefully there are more searches for Serenity. I also have hope, if she is indeed in the woods, with nicer weather, more tourists, etc. maybe more people will hike, etc. and perhaps she will be found that way.

 

[SkipperKey3]

I had heard about that incident. Heartbreaking as are all. There is little detail on that either. Was she with her family, it does not even say that? I would not think she would be up there alone.

Hopefully there are more searches for Serenity. I also have hope, if she is indeed in the woods, with nicer weather, more tourists, etc. maybe more people will hike, etc. and perhaps she will be found that way.

I don't know the details, either, but she must have been with family.

 

[Stunned]

How sad.....page 4! Poor lost baby!

 

[Rocco]

Search for Serenity enters second month

Meanwhile, an investigation is going on at the same time. Thom says they have interviewed more than 300 people and acted on five search warrants. They have also followed up on leads in 13 other states.

 

[PommyMommy]

Search for Serenity enters second month

Meanwhile, an investigation is going on at the same time. Thom says they have interviewed more than 300 people and acted on five search warrants. They have also followed up on leads in 13 other states.

They are narrowing it down...process of elimination.

"Have we found any articles of clothing or things like that? No," Thom said. "But we continue to learn things through the searches and it is helping us dial down the areas we're searching."

Each team is tracked with GPS and the search area is mapped so they know exactly where they've been

"Literally, we went wingspan to wingspan and that went out about 50-100 yards and the terrain varies so, like an accordion, you kind of flex with the terrain a little bit," Thom said. "It's a process of elimination."

 

[SkipperKey3]

From Pennington County Sheriff's Office:

Searchers will be back out the first two weekends in April, looking for the missing nine year old last seen two months ago on South Rockerville Road near the Black Hills Children’s Home. The recovery efforts for Serenity Dennard will continue Saturday, April 6, with a team of about 30-40 people.

 

[ilovechili]

From Pennington County Sheriff's Office:

Searchers will be back out the first two weekends in April, looking for the missing nine year old last seen two months ago on South Rockerville Road near the Black Hills Children’s Home. The recovery efforts for Serenity Dennard will continue Saturday, April 6, with a team of about 30-40 people.

Happy to hear this. It was a big news day in the cases I follow, unfortunately hers was not one of them. Hopefully one day it will be.