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4 hours ago
1 Sudiksha Konanki’s parents are speaking out.
It’s been 12 days since the University of Pittsburgh student vanished on her Dominican Republic vacation. That’s long enough that her parents seem to have lost all hope they’ll ever see her again…
On Monday, Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira revealed Sudiksha’s mother and father, Sreedevi and Subbarayudu Konanki, wrote to the agency asking them to declare their daughter dead — despite their ongoing investigation and lack of any solid evidence. It seemed like a hasty request. Do they just take for granted that she drowned?
We now know exactly what that letter says, and it provides necessary context for their wish. People obtained a copy on Tuesday, and it details the grieving parents’ desire for “closure” amid the emotionally exhausting investigation:
“Initiating [the death declaration 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.”
Ugh, that’s so rough… But why wouldn’t they want authorities to at least continue their investigative efforts? Maybe they’d be able to get even MORE closure? It hasn’t even been two weeks since the 20-year-old went missing!
Sudiksha’s father Subbarayudu spoke more about his and Sreedevi’s request to the New York Post on Tuesday, confirming to the outlet they firmly believe their daughter drowned:
“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. It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact our daughter has drowned.”
Incredibly heartbreaking. They must find it easier to assume the worst here — which unfortunately is also the most likely — than to try to keep their hopes up.
Subbarayudu also made it clear they wish for Joshua Riibe, the 22-year-old American man whom Sudiksha met at the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana — and the person she was last seen with — should be allowed to return to his home in the US after reportedly having his passport seized:
“The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found.”
That seems more and more likely. On Tuesday, Chad Quinn, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, revealed Joshua is no longer a person of interest in the investigation:
“It’s an ongoing investigation, but in that regard, he’s not a person of interest anymore in that he’s been interviewed as part of the case. It’s still not a criminal investigation in any way from our perspective. He is not considered a suspect by us.”
What a devastating situation. Our hearts are with these poor parents. We can’t imagine what they’re feeling…
[Images via Sudiksha Konanki/Facebook]
