The parents of the University of Pittsburgh junior who went missing in the Dominican Republic during her spring break trip have asked authorities to declare their daughter dead on Monday.
It has been 12 days since Sudiksha Konanki was last seen in the early hours of March 6, walking on a beach at Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, officials confirmed.
A spokesperson of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) previously told People in a statement that the Loudoun County, Virginia, resident was traveling with five other female students, including another person from the same county as her.
However, as the search for Konanki stretched into its second week, Diego Pesqueira, a Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson, confirmed on Monday that the 20-year-old’s family sent a letter “requesting declaration of death,” NBC News reported.
Insiders also confirmed with ABC News that the missing student’s parents had sent in the formal request to officials.
According to them, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki stated in the letter that “they understand that certain legal procedures must be followed for their request, but that they are prepared to comply with any necessary formalities or documentation.”
According to these sources, the Konanki family also recognized that there was “no suspicion of foul play” in the case of their daughter’s presumed death.
Thomas Julia, an LCSO spokesperson, noted in an email on Tuesday, March 18, that Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki reached out on Monday “seeking closure,” and added: “I can confirm that the LCSO met with the family yesterday and received a letter seeking closure and expressing gratitude for the investigation and support of our agency and others.”
“It is similar to the letter the family provided to the Dominican authorities,” Julia confirmed.
A Dominican outlet, Noticias SIN, reported on Monday, March 17, that attorneys for the person of interest Joshua Riibe, 24, who seems to be the last person who saw Konanki alive the morning she went missing, have filed a habeas corpus petition.
Essentially, they contend that their client should be released by Dominican authorities who continue to hold him since Konanki’s disappearance. A hearing in connection to the petition is scheduled for March 18.
The pre-med student was last seen walking on the beach with a group at around 4:15 a.m. local time, according to a video surveillance camera, the Dominican Republic National Police said in a press release.
Although most of the group left, Konanki stayed on the beach with one other person. However, officials believe that she might have drowned in the ocean after being caught in a violent wave.
No body has yet been found.
