Sudiksha Konanki’s parents request Dominican officials declare her dead: Report
Sudiksha Konanki’s family told authorities there’s no suspected foul play in her presumed death and expressed trust in the ongoing investigation.
The family of missing 20-year-old Indian-origin US student Sudiksha Konanki has requested police in the Dominican Republic to officially declare her dead, NBC News reported.
Konanki, an Indian citizen and a US permanent resident, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana. She disappeared while on vacation, and US federal law enforcement agencies are assisting Dominican authorities in the investigation.
Despite extensive search efforts, her body has not been found.
Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira confirmed that Konanki’s family had sent a letter requesting a formal declaration of death, the NBC News report added. The family has not yet responded to media inquiries, news agency PTI reported.
What about the person who was last seen with Sudiksha Konanki?
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of Joshua Steven Riibe, the last known person to be with Sudiksha Konanki before her disappearance, CNN reported.
Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso questioned Riibe for over six hours over the weekend, and further questioning with a local prosecutor is expected. While Riibe has not been named a suspect or accused of any wrongdoing, he remains under police surveillance and has been interrogated multiple times.
Sudiksha Konanki’s family sent a letter to authorities on Monday, acknowledging there is no suspected foul play in her presumed death and expressing trust in the investigation. They also stated their willingness to comply with legal procedures.
Sudiksha Konanki, an aspiring medical student, arrived in Punta Cana on March 3 with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh. Riibe, a 22-year-old from Iowa and a student at St. Cloud State University, said he met her at a hotel bar before the group decided to go to the beach. Surveillance footage from March 6 at 4:15 am captured Konanki and others entering the beach, but at 5 am, she was not seen leaving with the rest of the group.
Riibe later told investigators that they were pulled out to sea by strong waves while swimming, and although he managed to bring Konanki back to shore, she vanished shortly afterward. Dominican authorities maintain that no one is considered a suspect, while US officials are treating it as a missing persons case.
Riibe’s lawyer has requested his release, and a judge is expected to rule on the matter soon. His parents have alleged that he has been detained under irregular conditions without access to translators or legal representation.
(With inputs from Associated Press)