 "Why Sudiksha Konanki's parents have asked Dominican officials to declare their daughter dead")
It has been almost two weeks since Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old Indian-American student, disappeared while on a spring break trip with her friends to the Dominican Republic.
Despite a massive multi-agency search effort, including an Interpol Yellow notice, there has been no sign of the missing University of Pittsburgh student. Now, in a heartbreaking turn, her parents have asked Dominican authorities to formally declare her dead.
According to MailOnline, citing a source, her family has accepted the “deeply painful” reality that she will not be found alive. Their request for closure comes as the investigations continue, with the last person to see her, Joshua Riibe, still under police watch in the Caribbean country.
But why have her parents given up hope? What really happened that night? And what have investigators uncovered so far? Here’s a closer look at the case.
Parents’ plea for closure
Sudiksha Konanki’s parents, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki have formally requested Dominican authorities to declare their daughter legally dead, National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira confirmed the development to NBC News.
In their letter, the grieving parents acknowledged that no foul play is suspected in their daughter’s presumed death after she vanished from a Punta Cana beach.
“Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned. Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen,” the request states.
Their decision comes after days of agonising uncertainty, as authorities have struggled to find solid leads despite deploying drones, helicopters, and multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and US Department of Homeland Security.
“While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honour her memory,” the letter adds.
The family also expressed faith in the ongoing investigation, noting that Joshua Riibe—the last person to see Sudiksha alive—has cooperated with authorities.
“Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence,” the letter concluded.
#BREAKING: Here is the heartbreaking letter of #SudikshaKonanki’s parents along Dominican authorities to declare their daughter dead. 💔 pic.twitter.com/1WDhOjLdl5
— 𝕏 🕵🏻♀️🦋L̤̮E̤̮G̤̮🅰️C̤̮Y̤̮🦋🕵🏻♀️ 𝕏 (@iamlegacy23) March 18, 2025
According to sources quoted by ABC News, the Konankis are aware of the legal formalities required to process their request and are prepared to comply with all necessary procedures.
What did Joshua Riibe tell investigators?
Despite the ongoing investigation, US authorities have classified Konanki’s case as a missing persons case rather than a criminal matter.
Dominican officials have also stated that no one is considered a suspect in her disappearance. However, they have confiscated the passport of Joshua Riibe , the last known person to be with Konanki before she vanished in the early hours of March 6 and named him a “person of interest”, CNN News reported.
Riibe, a 22-year-old from Rock Rapids, Iowa, and a senior at St Cloud State University in Minnesota has been under police surveillance in the Dominican Republic. Over the weekend, he was questioned for more than six hours and has been taken in for further interrogation multiple times, according to a statement from his parents.
A source close to the investigation has indicated that the questioning is likely to continue with a local prosecutor overseeing the case.
Riibe told investigators that he and Konanki were in waist-deep water, “talking and kissing a little” when a strong wave suddenly pulled them out to sea. As a trained pool lifeguard, he said he attempted to hold Konanki under his arm while swimming back to shore, ensuring she could breathe. However, he struggled to stay afloat, saying, “I took in a lot of water.”
Once they reached shallower waters, he said he placed her in front of him and saw her “walking at an angle in the water.” He last asked if she was okay, but did not hear her response as he began vomiting seawater. When he recovered, she was gone. Thinking she had already left, he blacked out on a beach chair. He said he was later surprised to hear of her disappearance.
While Riibe has not been declared a suspect, authorities have not clarified why his passport was seized. His legal team has since filed a petition for his release, with a court hearing scheduled for March 18.
Who is Sudiksha Konanki?
Sudiksha Konanki, an Indian citizen with permanent residency in the US, is described by her father as an “ambitious” student with aspirations of studying medicine.
She travelled to Punta Cana on March 3 with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh, hoping to enjoy a short break before resuming her studies, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
Riibe told investigators that he first met Konanki at their hotel, where he and a friend introduced themselves to her group. The two groups later went to a bar together, drinking until, as Riibe put it, “someone suggested we go to the beach.”
Surveillance footage captured them at the club before heading to the beach around 4:15 am. Most of Konanki’s friends left by 5:50 am, leaving her alone with Riibe. She went missing an hour later.
Her family has pointed out inconsistencies, noting that her belongings, including her phone and wallet, were left with her friends, even though she was known to always carry her phone.
Dominican authorities initially stated that she likely drowned in the rough waters. However, Konanki’s father urged officials to expand their investigation, considering the possibility that she may have been kidnapped or fallen victim to human trafficking.
Despite an extensive search operation using drones, helicopters, and detection dogs, 11 days later, authorities are still finding answers to her mysterious disappearance.
With input from agencies
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