Panhandle Post reports that a 9-year-old western Black Hills girl is still missing after weeks of recovery efforts.
Serenity Dennard ran away from staff at Black Hills Children’s Home Society near Rockerville, SD on Feb. 3.
If you want to help gain more awareness for Dennard, click here https://www.change.org/p/serenity-alert-a-national-missing-children-s-alert-when-it-does-not-qualify-for-an-amber-alert?signed=true
Below is information and news coverage from the Associated Press:
Feb. 11, 5:38 P.M.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Authorities have put on hold the search for a 9-year-old girl who ran away from a residential youth home amid frigid weather more than a week ago in South Dakota.
Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom told reporters Monday that authorities are regrouping and trying to decide “how and when” they continue recovery efforts for Serenity Dennard.
The Rapid City Journal reports the sheriff said the investigation remains open until the girl is found.
The search for Serenity had been stalled for two days because of a winter storm before resuming Friday. The girl went missing Feb. 3 in subfreezing temperatures from the Black Hills Children’s Home near Rockerville.
The sheriff’s office has said if the girl was outside, it’s unlikely she survived because she wasn’t dressed for the weather. Authorities said their efforts are now focused on finding her body .
Feb. 8, 4:11 P.M.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Recovery teams are searching for a 9-year-old girl who ran away from a residential youth home amid frigid weather last weekend in South Dakota.
The search for Serenity Dennard had been stalled for two days before resuming Friday because of a winter storm. The girl went missing Sunday in subfreezing temperatures from the Black Hills Children’s Home near Rockerville.
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office said if the girl was outside, it’s unlikely she survived because she wasn’t dressed for the weather. Authorities said their efforts are now focused on finding her body.
On Friday, searchers headed outside with specially trained dogs to go over the area near the children’s home. Additional dogs and handlers are expected to arrive from out-of-state for the weekend.
The home is operated by Children’s Home Society.
The Rapid City Journal reported Friday that staff at the facility waited more than an hour and a half before calling 911 after Serenity ran away.
Bill Colson, executive director of the Children’s Home Society, said that after Serenity left the sight of a staff member at about 10:45 a.m., “we immediately conducted a thorough search of our grounds and buildings. When we were unable to find Serenity we called law enforcement.”
Helene Duhamel, spokeswoman with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, said investigators believe someone heading to the Children’s Home around 11 a.m. was probably the last person to see the girl.
Feb. 4, 7:39 P.M.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A western South Dakota sheriff says searchers so far have found no trace of a missing 9-year-old girl who ran away from staff at a residential youth home.
Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom said Monday afternoon that 65 people assisted by dogs are searching for Serenity Dennard. The Civil Air Patrol joined the search Monday morning.
Sheriff’s officials say she left the Children’s Home Society near Rockerville about 11 a.m. Sunday without a coat. The Rapid City Journal reports the organization’s executive director, Bill Colson, says Serenity was playing in the gym inside the facility when she ran away from staff.
Investigators want to talk with a couple who last saw the girl near the children’s home. The couple were cutting wood and driving a pickup. Deputies want to get a better idea of where Serenity was headed.