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

[doodles1211]

You must be my American twin!

I am prob 1/2 German!

 

[cybervampira]

I am prob 1/2 German!

Prost!

 

[lex8396]

Is it possible it was preplanned for the other child to cause a distraction so Serenity could run away? We don't know her home situation ( foster care, adopted vs biological parents, etc) so there could be a family member who prearranged to pick her up. Maybe it could have been prearranged during a family visit?
Also, It sounds like a tough job.....but
I hope they do background checks on employees working with these kids.
JMO

 

[Stunned]

Is it possible it was preplanned for the other child to cause a distraction so Serenity could run away? We don't know her home situation ( foster care, adopted vs biological parents, etc) so there could be a family member who prearranged to pick her up. Maybe it could have been prearranged during a family visit?
Also, It sounds like a tough job.....but
I hope they do background checks on employees working with these kids.
JMO

They should be already vetted.

 

[ilovechili]

Hopefully some of these $$$ will be spent on a security system.

T. Denny Sanford gives $55 million to Children's Home Society

Wow, I do not even know what to say about this. What a staggering amount. This is a private nonprofit but with apparently no security system, a very small portion of that amount would be well used to put towards such a system. It clearly is not a state or county home. I would actually like to read about some of their success stories through the years... With such a donation, it must be a place thought very worthy of it.

 

[Steleheart]

It is called Paradoxical undressing...

Paradoxical undressing is a term for a phenomenon frequently seen in cases of lethal hypothermia. Shortly before death, the person will remove all their clothes, as if they were burning up, when in fact they are freezing.

www.weirduniverse.net/blog/comments/paradoxical_undressing/

I was going to mention that the other day along with terminal burrowing. It's when the blood vessels become exhausted and release a sudden surge of blood to the extremities, causing the person to feel overheated. Along with their confusion they are certain that they are hot.

Hypothermia - Wikipedia

 

[ilovechili]

So Serenity was at a private school *Children's Home* and not a county funded "children's home?" Assumptions always get in the way of my thinking. It appears tuition is paid for a child to go there unless I am missing something.

Black Hills Children's Home Profile (2018-19) | Rapid City, SD

I have similar questions.

 

[SkipperKey3]

Is it possible it was preplanned for the other child to cause a distraction so Serenity could run away? We don't know her home situation ( foster care, adopted vs biological parents, etc) so there could be a family member who prearranged to pick her up. Maybe it could have been prearranged during a family visit?
Also, It sounds like a tough job.....but
I hope they do background checks on employees working with these kids.
JMO

Preplanned? That has been suggested but to me it seems rather unlikely. She was seen outside, but she was walking along the road when last seen. Nobody saw her get into a car or get picked up, which I think the person that saw her would have seen had it been a pre-planned arrangement.
LE has said that they are checking out all possibilities, and stays in touch with the family.
It just seems that she ran purely as an opportunistic chance. Where she thought she was headed is unknown. Home? To a favorite outdoor spot? Just wanted to get outside? Sometimes runners just ... run impulsively.
As for background checks, I think it has been said that the employees have to be vetted.

 

[rsd1200]

From what I've seen parents dealing with RAD and or ODD are dealing with something not even remotely close to my most stubborn child. It's very frightening looking from the outside. I have a friend whose 11 yo is in residential treatment right now. Why? Because he pushed her down the stairs and fractured her spine. And he said that if he returned home he'd probably hurt her again. :/ And this occurred while they had people coming to their home multiple times a week for therapy and treatment.

Most of the people I know dealing with similar issues are dealing with adopted children who seem to have a very high rate of RAD and ODD.

Idk about RAD but ODD is a very rough path for both the child who has it, and the family who loves them. It's very difficult for them to change how they're wired.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I can't get this sweet little girl off my mind. I check every hour or so for updates. I want so much to read she's been found safe in somebody's home where she's warm and well fed. I know this is a low likelihood, but I'm hoping for a miracle. Please let her be found soon.

I have been coming over the last couple of days from Jayme C thread. So heartbreaking, poor little one. I too want to believe she out there safe with someone. We've seen some miracles happen lately. Here's hoping we get one more....

 

[mrbeansmom]

And her diagnosis shouldn’t be.

A diagnosis is not necessary for the public, but it can be important to those searching. There are characteristics of a particular diagnosis that can point people in a certain direction sometimes.

 

[mrbeansmom]

Idk about RAD but ODD is a very rough path for both the child who has it, and the family who loves them. It's very difficult for them to change how they're wired.

Trust me, RAD makes ODD look like a walk in the park...

 

[Caylee Advocate]

I have similar questions.

I have been reading lots of negativity but will not put them on blast as it serves no purpose in finding Serenity. I would think everyone at the facility is beside themselves wishing things could be different and that little Serenity would be in her bed sound asleep tonight. My prayers are extended to the employees who are not at fault in her missing.

If I had it in me to place blame it would be at a much higher level. I do know the Native tribes were not too happy when some of their children ended up there.

 

[mrbeansmom]

I have similar questions.

In our case, because our daughter was adopted as Serenity was, the county pays for her stay at the residential program she is in. I imagine it's the same there.

 

[ilovechili]

I have been reading lots of negativity but will not put them on blast as it serves no purpose in finding Serenity. I would think everyone at the facility is beside themselves wishing things could be different and that little Serenity would be in her bed sound asleep tonight. My prayers are extended to the employees who are not at fault in her missing.

If I had it in me to place blame it would be at a much higher level. I do know the Native tribes were not too happy when some of their children ended up there.

I have read the entire thread but not posted until today. I have no blame to place until and unless more facts bear out a reason for questions or blame. And I would start questions at the top on down/higher level rather than the other way around as far as protocol, security, etc.

It is a sad situation all of the way around. I would hope, however, no matter how it turns out that people are honest and do what they can to see it never happens again if possible. By that, I do not mean anything was done wrong, but improvements can always be made and the best people/organizations always try to improve or if a tragedy occurs, look at what can help avoid it the next time.

My prayers are first and foremost for this child.

I did not know about the Native children. I would be interested in hearing more.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Hopefully some of these $$$ will be spent on a security system.

T. Denny Sanford gives $55 million to Children's Home Society

I’m sure it will. This area is more remote and the goal is a home like environment. These funds were just awarded in January and it takes time to implement improvements. I believe one of the reasons the adult to child ratio was so high the day Serenity slipped away, was due to a portion of this funding being earmarked for staff retention. Read pay raises. In addition, another poster mentioned tuition for attendance. Labeling a portion of the fees as tuition enables legal avenues for payment such as a 529 plan, scholarships, and education grants. The medical portion of the fees can possibly be reimbursed to the parents/guardians by their health insurance’s mental health benefits.

 

[rsd1200]

Trust me, RAD makes ODD look like a walk in the park...

Then what mind I have left would be gone. If a child has landed in that home at such a young age, for behavioral issues, then it's likely we're not talking about a "strong-willed" child. More along the lines of an iron-willed child and I'm not even sure that describes either of these diags adequately. If a child has either of those diags, they are likely very impulsive (at least odd can be uber impulsive). Running away may have been just an in-the-moment response to something. The child would probably be too stubborn to go back, but, might decide to hide close, hoping to be found quickly b/c of the cold, or gained a vantage point to be able to watch the search.

 

[ilovechili]

In our case, because our daughter was adopted as Serenity was, the county pays for her stay at the residential program she is in. I imagine it's the same there.

Thank you. I wondered if in some cases there was assistance if there is tuition. I am not well informed on it and things differ state to state as well. The other poster too advising on 529s, etc. and tuition was informative as well.

 

[Caylee Advocate]

Was there confirmation that this little one was adopted or is it rumor? Regardless, should we even be discussing such a private thing? MOO.

 

[PayrollNerd]

To learn more about Native American children and FAS here is a valid source:
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a Native American journey to prevention. - PubMed - NCBI