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

[PommyMommy]

Moving from one home to another can take a toll on a child's mental health
When she disappeared, 9-year-old Serenity Dennard was being cared for at the Black Hills Children Home, an organization that provides help for children with emotional or behavioral problems. Experts say that children need support and attention from the adults in their life, in order to feel safe. For children in foster care, or in an orphanage, it can be difficult to get the attention they need and learn to trust.

[...]

Children begin to attach to their parents at a young age. If they are neglected, or aren't able to bond, they can develop behavioral issues. Children will try to control whatever they can which can make it difficult to adjust to a new home.

"Then kids start to go, 'Ok I was starting to connect over here, now you're moving me again. Do I really want to keep connecting to people and getting hurt?' and things like that. So that's the hard part for moving all the time," says Tammy Arens-Beauchemp, clinical supervisor at Behavior Management Systems.

At Behavior Management Systems, children can go through attachment therapy to help them and their adoption or foster family adjust. The foster care system provides other resources as well.

"When you're in the foster system they have meetings and you can get together, support groups and things like that. And it's your option and your prerogative as to what you want and what fits your family," says Monae Johnson, Vivian's adoptive mother.

"The hard part is it's not a quick fix. It's not well ok let's see you six sessions. It's really a process," says Arens-Beauchemp.

[...]

 

[Catmommy]

Serenity, you'd be amazed to know how many people truly care about you and want only the best for you starting with you being found.

 

[cybervampira]

Weekend search set for missing South Dakota girl

On Saturday, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office will hold another search for Serenity. Between 30-40 people will take part in the ground search.

 

[PommyMommy]

Sheriff's Office narrowing search for missing girl by eliminating areas
The Pennington County sheriff said he's feeling optimistic about today's search for a girl who's been missing for more than two months due to improving weather and searchers working to "systematically eliminate areas."

"We've eliminated areas. So, we're narrowing down our search area," Sheriff Kevin Thom said. "We feel like we're being able to start dialing in."

More than 90 volunteers walked "literally shoulder to shoulder" searching for nine-year-old Serenity Dennard from Highway 16 at the top of Tepee Gulch to Rockerville Road on March 27, 29 and 30, Thom said. Ten cadaver dogs also searched burnt piles of wood in the area.

Since Dennard wasn't found in those areas, Thom said, the sheriff's office can now focus on looking elsewhere. It was difficult to eliminate areas during previous searches since the ground was covered in snow.

About 30 people will search today for Dennard and possibly Sunday, Thom said. If she isn't found, the cadaver dogs will be brought in again, possibly next weekend.

[...]

He said he deferred to canine and search and rescue experts who said "until the snow is gone, we can't do anything." It's "frustrating," Thom said.

Snow isn't just hard to walk and see through, it also masks scents for the dogs, experts previously told the Journal.

[...]

Journal archives show that even with searches, it can take a long time to find missing people in rugged or hard-to-reach areas.

Michael Berry, a 61-year-old Rockerville man who went missing in 2006 while hiking near Keystone, wasn't found until 2011 when loggers came across his remains. Scientists later confirmed his identity through DNA testing.

Joshua Jacobson, a 39-year-old Nebraska man, was found about two months after he went missing in the Badlands National Park in 2015.

It took more than a year to recover the body of Joshua Haugen, a 17-year-old from Rapid City who drowned in Pactola Lake in June 1999.

[...]

Two days after Dennard went missing, public warning messages were also sent to 612 landlines and cellphones of residents and businesses within a six-mile radius of the Children's Home, according to Alexa White, deputy director of Pennington County Emergency Management. The messages gave a description of Dennard and asked people to look for her outside their homes or businesses.

The FBI or local agencies have looked into alleged sightings of Dennard in 13 states from Wyoming to California and South Carolina, Thom said. People across the country have learned about Dennard thanks to the sheriff's office social media — which has reached 3.3 million people on Facebook — media coverage throughout South Dakota, newscasts on NPR stations in other states, and awareness campaigns by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

[...]

 

[girlhasnoname]

This precious child needs to be found...….
Good luck to all the searchers and prayers to Serenity's loved ones.

 

[PommyMommy]

Photos of today's search. Pennington County Sheriff's Office

 

[SkipperKey3]

From the Pennington County Sherrif:

Searchers today cleared four areas without finding missing nine year old Serenity Dennard. Chief Deputy Willie Whelchel explains the day’s strategy. Weather pending, specialized K9 dog teams will return next weekend.
​

I don't know if that means that they will continue tomorrow or just wait for next weekend. Weather tomorrow is supposed to be nice.

 

[PommyMommy]

From the Pennington County Sherrif:

Searchers today cleared four areas without finding missing nine year old Serenity Dennard. Chief Deputy Willie Whelchel explains the day’s strategy. Weather pending, specialized K9 dog teams will return next weekend.
​

I don't know if that means that they will continue tomorrow or just wait for next weekend. Weather tomorrow is supposed to be nice.

I think they've narrowed it down to where they want the cadaver dogs to search again, and they will be brought in next weekend. Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates! MOO

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 6, 2019
The search for Serenity is narrowing down
The dog teams and aerial searchers are no longer assisting in the search for 9-year-old Serenity Dennard, but officials are sure they have significantly narrowed down the search area.

Ground searchers arrived in Rockerville early Saturday morning. The two teams lined up and made their way through the "fence" from South Rockerville Road up to Foster Gulch Road. This is one area the dog teams helped to narrow down.

Chief Deputy Willie Whelchel says they are confident if Serenity is out there she is in this area or one of the three other sections they have marked. If she is found their first priority is to notify the family.

[...]

Searchers cleared these four sections Saturday. They plan to bring in more K-9 units next weekend depending on the weather.

 

[cybervampira]

Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Searchers today cleared four areas without finding missing nine year old Serenity Dennard. Chief Deputy Willie Whelchel explains the day’s strategy. Weather pending, specialized K9 dog teams will return next weekend.
Meanwhile the investigation continues behind the scenes following all leads.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1309325735902468

 

[Burnt_Biscuits]

I spent a great deal of time reading past posts and I became physically and emotionally drained... This child has been to hell and back more then any person should go through... countless foster homes, bio-parents in prison, adopted parents bascially giving up on her... When you read all the reports on Serenity and what she been through, you understand why she made a run for it... Anything has to be better then where she was at... I just pray to God that she is still alive somewhere...

 

[kay74]

I spent a great deal of time reading past posts and I became physically and emotionally drained... This child has been to hell and back more then any person should go through... countless foster homes, bio-parents in prison, adopted parents bascially giving up on her... When you read all the reports on Serenity and what she been through, you understand why she made a run for it... Anything has to be better then where she was at... I just pray to God that she is still alive somewhere...

I know. My heart breaks over and over for this little girl. I'm a senior citizen and I would adopt her in a heartbeat as I'm sure many of you would too. This is beyond sad.

 

[Deleted member 238350]

Sheriff's Office narrowing search for missing girl by eliminating areas
The Pennington County sheriff said he's feeling optimistic about today's search for a girl who's been missing for more than two months due to improving weather and searchers working to "systematically eliminate areas."

"We've eliminated areas. So, we're narrowing down our search area," Sheriff Kevin Thom said. "We feel like we're being able to start dialing in."

More than 90 volunteers walked "literally shoulder to shoulder" searching for nine-year-old Serenity Dennard from Highway 16 at the top of Tepee Gulch to Rockerville Road on March 27, 29 and 30, Thom said. Ten cadaver dogs also searched burnt piles of wood in the area.

Since Dennard wasn't found in those areas, Thom said, the sheriff's office can now focus on looking elsewhere. It was difficult to eliminate areas during previous searches since the ground was covered in snow.

About 30 people will search today for Dennard and possibly Sunday, Thom said. If she isn't found, the cadaver dogs will be brought in again, possibly next weekend.

[...]

He said he deferred to canine and search and rescue experts who said "until the snow is gone, we can't do anything." It's "frustrating," Thom said.

Snow isn't just hard to walk and see through, it also masks scents for the dogs, experts previously told the Journal.

[...]

Journal archives show that even with searches, it can take a long time to find missing people in rugged or hard-to-reach areas.

Michael Berry, a 61-year-old Rockerville man who went missing in 2006 while hiking near Keystone, wasn't found until 2011 when loggers came across his remains. Scientists later confirmed his identity through DNA testing.

Joshua Jacobson, a 39-year-old Nebraska man, was found about two months after he went missing in the Badlands National Park in 2015.

It took more than a year to recover the body of Joshua Haugen, a 17-year-old from Rapid City who drowned in Pactola Lake in June 1999.

[...]

Two days after Dennard went missing, public warning messages were also sent to 612 landlines and cellphones of residents and businesses within a six-mile radius of the Children's Home, according to Alexa White, deputy director of Pennington County Emergency Management. The messages gave a description of Dennard and asked people to look for her outside their homes or businesses.

The FBI or local agencies have looked into alleged sightings of Dennard in 13 states from Wyoming to California and South Carolina, Thom said. People across the country have learned about Dennard thanks to the sheriff's office social media — which has reached 3.3 million people on Facebook — media coverage throughout South Dakota, newscasts on NPR stations in other states, and awareness campaigns by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

[...]

Michael was an acquaintance of mine. It is not easy to locate someone in this geographic area.

 

[PommyMommy]

Michael was an acquaintance of mine. It is not easy to locate someone in this geographic area.

I'm sorry for your loss, and very glad he was found. This is the first case I've followed in this particular area, but I do have an appreciation for the difficulty in searching this type of terrain. Those who have followed missing hiker cases will understand; many of them have never been found. But, if Serenity is out there, I believe they'll find her. MOO

 

[watcher9]

Sheriff's Office narrowing search for missing girl by eliminating areas
The Pennington County sheriff said he's feeling optimistic about today's search for a girl who's been missing for more than two months due to improving weather and searchers working to "systematically eliminate areas."

"We've eliminated areas. So, we're narrowing down our search area," Sheriff Kevin Thom said. "We feel like we're being able to start dialing in."

More than 90 volunteers walked "literally shoulder to shoulder" searching for nine-year-old Serenity Dennard from Highway 16 at the top of Tepee Gulch to Rockerville Road on March 27, 29 and 30, Thom said. Ten cadaver dogs also searched burnt piles of wood in the area.

Since Dennard wasn't found in those areas, Thom said, the sheriff's office can now focus on looking elsewhere. It was difficult to eliminate areas during previous searches since the ground was covered in snow.

About 30 people will search today for Dennard and possibly Sunday, Thom said. If she isn't found, the cadaver dogs will be brought in again, possibly next weekend.

[...]

He said he deferred to canine and search and rescue experts who said "until the snow is gone, we can't do anything." It's "frustrating," Thom said.

Snow isn't just hard to walk and see through, it also masks scents for the dogs, experts previously told the Journal.

[...]

Journal archives show that even with searches, it can take a long time to find missing people in rugged or hard-to-reach areas.

Michael Berry, a 61-year-old Rockerville man who went missing in 2006 while hiking near Keystone, wasn't found until 2011 when loggers came across his remains. Scientists later confirmed his identity through DNA testing.

Joshua Jacobson, a 39-year-old Nebraska man, was found about two months after he went missing in the Badlands National Park in 2015.

It took more than a year to recover the body of Joshua Haugen, a 17-year-old from Rapid City who drowned in Pactola Lake in June 1999.

[...]

Two days after Dennard went missing, public warning messages were also sent to 612 landlines and cellphones of residents and businesses within a six-mile radius of the Children's Home, according to Alexa White, deputy director of Pennington County Emergency Management. The messages gave a description of Dennard and asked people to look for her outside their homes or businesses.

The FBI or local agencies have looked into alleged sightings of Dennard in 13 states from Wyoming to California and South Carolina, Thom said. People across the country have learned about Dennard thanks to the sheriff's office social media — which has reached 3.3 million people on Facebook — media coverage throughout South Dakota, newscasts on NPR stations in other states, and awareness campaigns by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

[...]

Making special note of this sentence.

Snow isn't just hard to walk and see through, it also masks scents for the dogs, experts previously told the Journal.

 

[human]

I spent a great deal of time reading past posts and I became physically and emotionally drained... This child has been to hell and back more then any person should go through... countless foster homes, bio-parents in prison, adopted parents bascially giving up on her... When you read all the reports on Serenity and what she been through, you understand why she made a run for it... Anything has to be better then where she was at... I just pray to God that she is still alive somewhere...

Treatment homes can be really good for kids and they have lots of great activities and lots of staff to help with emotional breakdowns for the kids.

Her last home tried to deal with her immense needs but I imagine the needs were 24/7. No person can handle that on their own unless the person has a staff for cooking, cleaning, shopping, watching a child while you bathe, etc.

Her birth home. No explanation needed.

The adoptive father continued to be her father through the divorce.

It is too bad that people cannot see how beneficial treatment homes can be

 

[Scrapper18]

Treatment homes can be really good for kids and they have lots of great activities and lots of staff to help with emotional breakdowns for the kids.

Her last home tried to deal with her immense needs but I imagine the needs were 24/7. No person can handle that on their own unless the person has a staff for cooking, cleaning, shopping, watching a child while you bathe, etc.

Her birth home. No explanation needed.

The adoptive father continued to be her father through the divorce.

It is too bad that people cannot see how beneficial treatment homes can be

Completely agree. If your child had a brain tumor you would get them to a hospital. Mental health is the same way. Wish our country/society would get past this stigma. Sometimes people, including children, need more help and therapy than they can receive as an outpatient.

 

[Stunned]

I spent a great deal of time reading past posts and I became physically and emotionally drained... This child has been to hell and back more then any person should go through... countless foster homes, bio-parents in prison, adopted parents bascially giving up on her... When you read all the reports on Serenity and what she been through, you understand why she made a run for it... Anything has to be better then where she was at... I just pray to God that she is still alive somewhere...

Sadly she is not the only child who has gone through or is going through this type of trauma.

 

[Stunned]

Completely agree. If your child had a brain tumor you would get them to a hospital. Mental health is the same way. Wish our country/society would get past this stigma. Sometimes people, including children, need more help and therapy than they can receive as an outpatient.

Preach!

 

[ilovechili]

Treatment homes can be really good for kids and they have lots of great activities and lots of staff to help with emotional breakdowns for the kids.

Her last home tried to deal with her immense needs but I imagine the needs were 24/7. No person can handle that on their own unless the person has a staff for cooking, cleaning, shopping, watching a child while you bathe, etc.

Her birth home. No explanation needed.

The adoptive father continued to be her father through the divorce.

It is too bad that people cannot see how beneficial treatment homes can be

I in no way disagree but it does not mean mistakes are not made nor are all the same. That is just me though. Some doctors are better than others. Some teachers are. Some parents are. Some servers are. Some plumbers are. Some contractors are. Some homes are. Some employees are. Etc.

If it results in a conversation or safety measures, cameras and more or a good look at an overall subject, I do not see it as a bad thing.

jmo though.