• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Parents of missing university student ask police to declare their daughter dead

Home> News> US News

Updated 12:35 18 Mar 2025 GMTPublished 10:50 18 Mar 2025 GMT

Parents of missing university student ask police to declare their daughter dead

Sudiksha Konanki was on spring break in the Dominican Republic when she went missing

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

The parents of missing university student Sudiksha Konanki have heartbreakingly asked police to declare their daughter dead.

Konanki, 20, had been on vacation in the Dominican Republic with five female friends while on spring break from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studies biology and chemistry.

The student, who is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States, had traveled to a resort in Punta Cana and was last seen at a hotel at around 4am local time on March 6.

What are Konanki's last known movements?

After an investigation into Konanki's disappearance began, CCTV footage revealed some of her last known movements as she and a group of friends made their way towards the beach on foot.

Konanki could be seen with five women and two American men in the video, and Dominican police said she stayed on the beach with one of the men while the rest of the group returned to their hotel. That man was identified as Joshua Riibe, a senior at St Cloud State University in Minnesota.

Advert

Riibe's family has said they hope Konanki is 'found as soon as possible'.

Sudiksha Konanki was allegedly in the water with Riibe before she disappeared (FOX 5 Washington DC)
Sudiksha Konanki was allegedly in the water with Riibe before she disappeared (FOX 5 Washington DC)

The investigation into Konanki's disappearance is currently being investigated as a missing persons case, however, a spokesperson for police in the Dominican Republic has revealed that her family have asked that she be declared dead.

The family made the request in a letter sent to the Dominican Republic National Police, according to spokesperson Diego Pesqueira.

Advert

The letter, cited by Fox News, reads in part: "Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned. Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found."

The request of Konanki's parents, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki, comes after 'much deliberation', as they are said to have accepted Riibe's explanation of what happened on the night their daughter disappeared.

Riibe claimed he and Konanki made it to shore before she disappeared (FOX 5 Washington DC)
Riibe claimed he and Konanki made it to shore before she disappeared (FOX 5 Washington DC)

What has Riibe said about his encounter with Konanki?

Riibe has been collaborating with investigators in the search, and on Sunday (March 16) he was seen by NBC News on a beach in Punta Cana with investigators, pointing towards the sea.

Advert

Last week, Riibe told investigators he and Konanki were in 'waist-deep water' prior to her disappearance.

A transcript of the interview obtained by NBC News cites Riibe saying that a wave took them both 'out to sea', during which he 'swallowed a lot of water'.

The student claimed he got Konanki back to shore.

He said: “The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn’t hear her answer. I looked around and didn’t see anyone. I thought she’d grabbed her things and left.”

Advert

Dominican authorities confiscated the student's passport as the investigation continues, and the law firm representing Riibe has confirmed he has 'been confined to the hotel since the investigation began'.

They told NBC: "He is permanently escorted by the police anywhere he goes. So no, he is not free to leave."

Konanki's parents have said the declaration of death will allow the 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," they wrote in the letter.

Featured Image Credit: Sudiksha Konanki/Facebook

Topics: US News, Travel, Health

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Diddy denied bail after being found guilty on 2 out of 5 counts in sex trafficking and prostitution case

    Diddy has been denied bail after being found guilty on two of five charges he was facing

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Donald Trump makes shocking threat he wants to deport US citizens and people are stunned

    Donald Trump has made a threat to deport US citizens following the opening of a migrant centre in Florida

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Bryan Kohberger speaks for first time in court admitting to how he brutally murdered four Idaho students

    The Idaho murder suspect has spoken out following the brutal murders of four students in 2022

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Former prosecutor explains why Diddy was found not guilty on 3 out of 5 counts in sex trafficking and prostitution case

    A legal expert has shared his thoughts about why Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been found not guilty of three counts

    News
  • Why parents of missing university student want police to declare their daughter dead
  • Parents of missing university student share what they believe happened to their daughter
  • 'Person of interest' in case of missing university student detained 'under irregular conditions'
  • Person of interest in case of missing university student speaks out for first time