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Sudiksha Konanki's parents reveal what they believe happened to their daughter
Sudiksha Konanki’s father said authorities explained the ocean conditions and confirmed the person in question was never considered a suspect.
The parents of 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki, an Indian student at the University of Pittsburgh, now believe she drowned during her spring break in the Dominican Republic.
Konanki was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana while on vacation in the Dominican Republic. US agencies are assisting Dominican authorities in the investigation into her disappearance.
Subbarayudu Konanki, father of Sudiksha, said officials informed 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 Konanki told media from the family home in Virginia.
“It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact our daughter has drowned. This is incredibly difficult for us to process,” Subbarayudu Konanki added.
They also requested that Joshua Riibe, the 22-year-old Iowan who was last seen with Konanki, be allowed to leave the Caribbean nation, where he has been detained as the investigation continues, New York Times reported.
Authorities in Konanki’s hometown said they do not believe Riibe was involved, with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office saying this on Tuesday.
Riibe’s lawyer filed a legal “habeas corpus” request on Monday, demanding that he be allowed to return to the US as he has not been charged with wrongdoing.
A court hearing on the request is scheduled for later today.
The family’s shift in stance comes a day after Subbarayudu and his wife, SreeDevi, requested Dominican authorities to declare their 20-year-old daughter legally dead, 12 days after she vanished from a Punta Cana beach during spring break.
Earlier, Konanki’s parents had pushed for a broader investigation, urging authorities to examine whether foul play was involved in her disappearance.
A pre-med student at the University of Pittsburgh, Konanki had checked into the upscale RIU Hotel & Resort on March 3 for spring break. She went missing on March 6 after an overnight swim with Riibe.
Her parents said the widespread international media coverage has intensified their pain, making it even more challenging for them to cope with their loss.
“We still have two young children to care for, and they’re at a very tender age. In light of 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,” Subbarayudu Konanki said.
