The parents of Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old US student missing in the Dominican Republic, have asked local authorities to declare her dead. Sudiksha disappeared on March 6 while walking along a beach in Punta Cana during her spring break trip. Despite extensive searches involving drones, helicopters, and police, she has not been found.
Sudiksha, originally from India and living in Loudoun County, Virginia, was studying at the University of Pittsburgh. Her family sent a letter to the police requesting the declaration of death after nearly two weeks of searching with no results.
Authorities are investigating the possibility that she may have drowned. Reports indicate that Sudiksha was last seen after a beach outing with friends, where she stayed behind with acquaintances she met there. The last person believed to have seen her was Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old student from Minnesota, who has been detained by police. However, he has not been named a suspect in her disappearance.
Riibe told police that he and Sudiksha were in waist-deep water when they were pulled out to sea by a strong tide. He claimed he swam her back to shore but lost sight of her shortly afterward. He described a frantic moment trying to help her breathe before she vanished.
While authorities have stated that no one is currently considered a suspect, the case remains a missing person investigation rather than a criminal one. Riibe’s family has expressed concern about his treatment by Dominican officials, alleging he has been held without proper legal support or translation services.
The search for Sudiksha continues, but her family’s request for a death declaration reflects the grim reality of the situation. They are grappling with the uncertainty and the hope that answers will come soon.