The parents of Indian-origin student at the University of Pittsburgh, who went missing from a Dominican Republic beach about two weeks back, have requested authorities to declare her dead legally.
Giving up hope after days of extensive search operation, Sudiksha's parents Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki have now written to the Domincan police hoping for closure.
In the letter to Dominican police dated Monday, Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki state that after the massive search, local authorities believe that the 20-year-old drowned.
"Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence. While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory," they wrote.
Michael Chapman, sheriff of Loudoun County in Virginia, where the Konankis live, said in a statement that officials have been working with Dominican authorities and continue to review evidence in the case.
"The disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki is tragic, and we cannot imagine the grief her family has been feeling. Her family has expressed their belief that she drowned. While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible," he said.
Sudiksha Konanki, along with her friends, had traveled to the Caribbean nation on March 3 for spring break. Police said she disappeared at a beach by her hotel before dawn on March 6.
Authorities have interviewed people who were with Konanki before she vanished, including Joshua Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud University in Minnesota. The Dominican police detained Riibe, who is believed to be the last person to see Konanki. However, he has not been named as a suspect yet.
Her father, while speaking to the media, said that officials told them about the ocean conditions and clarified that the person in question was never a suspect. "Both sides of the authorities have shown us how high the ocean waves were at the time of the incident, and both sides of the authorities have clarified the person of interest was not a suspect from the beginning," Subbarayudu said.
Riibe appeared in court Tuesday afternoon following a request from his attorney that he be released. "I really want to be able to go home and talk to my family, give them hug. I understand that I'm here to help. I've done that. It's been 10 days," he told the judge.
According to the transcript of an interview with prosecutors, reported by Dominican media as well as NBC and Telemundo, Riibe told police he was drinking with Konanki on the beach and they were kissing in the ocean when they got caught in a current. Riibe said he was a former lifeguard and helped bring her ashore.
He told investigators he vomited upon reaching the beach and that Konanki said she was going to fetch her things. When he looked up, she was gone. He said he was later surprised to hear of her disappearance.
In their letter, the Konankis wrote that "the individual" last seen with their daughter is cooperating and that no evidence of foul play has been found.
Subbarayudu expressed that their pain was intensified by the widespread international media coverage, making it complex for the family to cope with the loss. "We still have two young children to care for, and they’re at a very tender age. Considering this, we respectfully request some space, time, and privacy to focus on healing and helping our children recover as we try to move forward with our lives," he said.
Born in India, Sudiksha Konanki became a US permanent resident.
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