The family of Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student from the University of Pittsburgh, is asking for her to be declared dead after she went missing during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic. Sudiksha was last seen on March 6 at a hotel in Punta Cana, and her family has been struggling with the uncertainty of her disappearance.
Konanki was vacationing with a group of friends when she vanished. The Dominican Republic’s national police confirmed they received the request from her family but did not share further details about the case. Authorities have been searching for her for over two weeks, considering the possibility that she may have drowned, although they have not ruled out foul play.
Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old college student who was reportedly the last person to see Sudiksha, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. He stated that both he and Sudiksha were pulled out to sea by a large wave. While he managed to return to shore, he believes Sudiksha may have gotten out of the water but then disappeared.
Riibe was held in custody for over a week as a witness in the investigation but was released after a judge ruled in his favor. He has since left the country and expressed his desire to return home and see his family.
The search for Sudiksha has involved extensive efforts by local authorities, including the use of drones and AI technology to scan the ocean for any signs of her. So far, there have been no indications of violence or foul play at the beach where she was last seen.
Sudiksha is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States, living in Chantilly, Virginia. She was studying biology and chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and had traveled to the Dominican Republic with five friends.
The situation has garnered significant attention, and Interpol has issued a global alert for her disappearance, which is classified under missing persons. The family, still hopeful for closure, is now facing the painful reality of requesting a death declaration as the search continues.