Found Deceased UT- Priscilla Bienkowski, 18, & Sophia Hernandez, 17, Knolls, Utah Lake, 6 May 2020

[swanniee11]

Just reading about this, not sure if this was posted. Log into Facebook | Facebook

 

[mlhenn]

Just reading about this, not sure if this was posted. Log into Facebook | Facebook

Thanks for sharing this page.
It was posted around 1:45pm (central time) that the search was now moving from the water to focusing more on land.

 

[mlhenn]

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In a recent post the family made it very clear that until there’s evidence the girls are no longer with us here on earth, then there’s always hope.
It’s apparent they are holding on to every ounce of hope these girls will be found alive & rightly so. IMO
PRAYERS

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Four days after teen girls went missing on Utah Lake, police still searching

 

[mlhenn]

Spencer Cannon on Twitter

Search Saturday

 

[mlhenn]

Four days after teen girls went missing on Utah Lake, police still searching

This link has some new/additional info on it!

•the search team is using sonar to scan underwater. If they see something, they’ll use probes. If they can’t identify something with a probe, then they will dive underwater to take a closer look.
•The water level near the shore is 2-4 feet and goes to 10 feet miles away.
•the girls posted photos on social media on May 3 and May 5, while visiting the same spot at the lake.
•Sgt. Spencer Cannon said family members of the girls believe they may have been kidnapped. Cannon said while there is no evidence of foul play, one parent became worried that someone hurt the girls after she called her daughter’s phone and a man answered.
•On the day the girls went missing a “reliable witness” saw them in the water but did not see any signs of trouble.

 

[Lusitana]

Only two girls? Sounds like a bigger group type of activity.

 

[mlhenn]

Vigil planned for teens who went missing at Utah Lake as crews continue to search

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*I’m just reading about this. These poor parents. They must be in agony. Their beautiful young exuberant daughters have disappeared while enjoying themselves on a lovely day. Nature: Beauty and the Beast

Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the Utah County Sheriff's Office says they are not ruling out the possibility that they may have gotten out somehow, since there are no witness accounts of the girls actually going underwater and not coming back up. However, most evidence points toward the girls being in the lake.
Search for missing teens continues into day 4 at Utah Lake

Multiple agencies including Utah State Parks, Wasatch County, Washington County, and Utah Highway Patrol have assisted with search efforts from the air, water, and shore. But no substantial leads have led to the teenagers’ whereabouts. Officials don’t believe the two were wearing lifejackets.
Vigil planned for teens who went missing at Utah Lake as crews continue to search

“People on horseback, people on foot are doing some searching in those areas,” Cannon said. “There is a possibility, however slim it might be, that they got off the lake either on their own or they got off the lake and somebody did something with them or to them. We don’t have exact information telling us one way or the other.”
Missing Utah Teens: Search Resumes At Utah Lake For Girls Missing Since Wednesday

Scouting the perfect scenery for senior photos, Keri Mallory and her 17-year-old daughter were at Utah Lake around 3:45 Wednesday afternoon

“I mean, it was a little breezy but it was a beautiful day. It was warm. It was fine,” Keri said.

Suddenly, a strong cold front brought heavy winds and high waves. “All of a sudden our hair was whipping everywhere," Aleah Mallory said. "We couldn’t see. It was in our face then it got so cold."

Having experienced the storm, Keri’s heart breaks for the missing teens. “It’s been really hard to think about what they must have gone through,”Keri said.
Investigators ask for help finding teens who went missing at Utah Lake

 

[mlhenn]

Friends, family hold onto hope for missing girls last seen at Utah Lake

Hundreds of people gathered at the Knolls area of Utah Lake Saturday night for a vigil for Priscilla Brenkowski, 18, and Sophia Hernandez, 17, two Saratoga Springs girls who have been missing since Wednesday when they went to recreate on the lake.


The disappearance prompted a massive search spearheaded by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office that carried into Saturday evening and was expected to continue into the early hours of Sunday. Search and rescue crews have scoured the lake for days, and recently launched a land search made possible by volunteers and wildland firefighters.

However, Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon said the search will be scaled back in the coming days.

 

[MntnHiker]

The most likely outcome is that they went under and just have not been found yet, sadly. Foul play is, of course, possible, but there are a LOT of factors pointing towards tragic accidental drowning. MOO

IMO, I am not immediately suspicious of the fisherman. Perhaps he had been fishing there for a couple hours or more and had not seen anyone come near those belongings. Maybe the mother called several times, and it just seemed off to him to have belongings left for so long, plus someone repeatedly calling the phone, so he decided to answer. I don't know that I would have answered, but I am glad he did. I also don't think if he did something to the girls that he would come back to the area where their belongings were and actually answer one of their phones. That would seem like the dumbest idea ever if you were a criminal. MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

This image shows GPS tracks of boats & wave runners used thus far over 4 days @UtahLake in the search for Priscilla Bienkowski & Sophia Hernandez. The area searched is about 3 x 2 miles. Water search will transition to primarily an air search for the next several days. @UCSO

Spencer Cannon on Twitter

Although the sheriff’s department says they have two reliable witnesses who saw the girls a short distance from where they got on the tubes on Wednesday before they were reported missing, authorities have not heard from anyone who actually saw the girls go under water.

Authorities have since retrieved both tubes: one 3.2 miles south of where they believe the girls were on the water and another 8.5 miles south of the area, according to Cannon.

“We have to leave open the possibility…” that the girls may be on land, Cannon says. Still, “the bulk of the evidence suggests they were on the water,” he said.
Search Continues for Two Teenage Girls Likely Swept Away by Strong Winds While Tubing in Utah

 

[mlhenn]

@MntnHiker
I agree with you that the most likely outcome is these two girls just haven’t been located yet under water. That in itself is sad.
I doubt the fisherman had anything to do with their disappearance. He just happened to be the one fishing there that day & decided to answer that ringing phone on the shoreline.

 

[mlhenn]

Utah teenagers swept away while tubing after intense winds, families hold out hope as search ongoing

Witness reports on Wednesday’s weather at the lake (day girls disappeared):
1. Keri Malloy, who was out with her daughter on Utah Lake around 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, said it was a beautiful day with a slight breeze before a cold front quickly brought heavy winds and high waves. “My heart just sunk. I could see how it was so calm and just turned so bad so fast, they wouldn’t have had a chance.”

2. A kite-surfer who was out on the lake at the time stated that conditions quickly turned dangerous, with swells 3 to 6 feet high as winds gusted up to 50 mph that made him ditch his gear for the first time on Wednesday. “You only ditch your gear when you’re worried about your life,” Jay Gold told the television station.

 

[mlhenn]

Search for missing teens at Utah Lake enters recovery phase

MAY 10 (9 mins ago)
The now five day search for the missing teen girls enters a recovery phase.

Rescue efforts for 17-year-old Sophia Hernandez and 18-year-old Priscilla Bienkowski will be scaled back on the water, and will instead focus on an aerial search.

“If they are in the water, then it is a recovery. There’s no way that if they are in the water that they could have survived or did survive,” said Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

 

[mlhenn]

Teen Who Found Belongings Of Missing Girls On Utah Lake Speaks Out
This article may help give a better picture of the circumstances leading up to the girls’ belongings being found & one of the phones being answered.

A 16-year-old, Mikey Hernandez, who found the girls’ cellphones and helped alert authorities talked to KSL about what he saw the night they went missing.

The teen was out camping and fishing with a friend when he discovered a blanket, clothes, shoes, and both of the girls’ cell phones.
The girls’ belongings just a little ways away from his tent.

Mikey stated the wind really picked by around 7:30pm and pretty much everyone enjoying the area had already left to go home. He assumed the owners of the belongings had gone home as well (possibly leaving their things behind).

“We thought that they left their stuff, and so that’s why we went over to look at it, and that’s when the phone started ringing and that’s when I picked it up,” he said.

Priscilla’s mom was the on the other end of the phone asking for her daughter. Within 30 mins of MH telling her he had not seen the girls, both families were at the lake. Then LE arrived shortly after.

 

[mlhenn]

Have to admit, I wasn’t expecting the fisherman that has been referred to in all the articles to be a 16 year old boy. Not that it’s a huge deal, but possibly makes a little more sense on his decision to answer phone. IMO
I feel a teen would be more inclined to answer someone else’s phone.

Also noticed the above article I linked stated both girls’ phones were left and the fisherman & his friend found the belongings. (which again, not a huge deal, just additional info)

 

[mlhenn]

Teen Who Found Belongings Of Missing Girls On Utah Lake Speaks Out

This photo shows where the girls’ belongings were found (gives an idea of what area looked like)

 

[mlhenn]

Help Us Find Sophia Hernandez & Priscilla Bienkowski Public Group | Facebook

There is so much genuine concern, support, and love evident on the fb page set up for finding these teen girls.

 

[MntnHiker]

Wow yeah I was picturing an older gentleman as the "fisherman." I guess that shows to not assume lol.

I'm glad he went ahead and answered the phone so the search could begin sooner. Sadly, I think the girls are no longer alive I hope I am wrong.