ACTIVE SEARCH SD - Serenity Dennard, 9, Children’s Home Society, Pennington County, 3 Feb 2019 #3

[ilovechili]

trying to link a map showing the Children's Home, Rockerville and Hippie Hole Trail and Parking.
All different directions...

Google Maps

Interesting, all are different directions. Thank you for the map.

 

[janewall]

I really wonder if Serenity ever left the grounds of the children's home at all, under her own volition.

I'd like to see those cadaver dogs locate something tangible that can be lab tested if not identified by sight, not simply the scent of human decay. There's been a lot of resources and caring put into searching for this little girl among the local community and far beyond, despite a complete lack of evidence that she went anywhere near the woods or the hills or the swimming hole. I hope it's not all misdirection.

This is so sad. I feel for her family. Whatever difficulties they've been through with her, this is not what a parent expects to be 'procedure' when their child needs to be institutionalized.

Feeling particularly disheartened by this case, which I admit is a trigger for me and I know exactly why. Serenity, wherever you are and whatever has happened to you in your life, I hope you know that there are people who love you very much and wish they had been able to help you sooner. :tears:

ETA: MOO. (I always forget that. We need a cow emoji!)

 

[Steelslady]

I read there is a private search going on today in a place called Hippie Hole. Several people have speculated about searching there so today it's being done.

I said that before- Hippie Hole. A lot of kids love water. Serenity would be no different. She may have remembered it from a day she went hiking there with either family when they visited or perhaps the home had scheduled fun days and had an outing there.

I don't think she's there, but that is where I would have looked myself.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I have no theory here. She could be anywhere IMO. Not enough reported to form an opinion for me - could be she took off and hasn't been found, could be something nefarious perpetrated by any possibility of folks...

I check this thread often and appreciate the insight and reports and love here for Serenity. So very very sad for her and those who truly love and care about her. It is utterly heartbreaking when innocent, vulnerable people (and animals) go missing or come to harm...

One day, sweetie... one day...

 

[ilovechili]

I really wonder if Serenity ever left the grounds of the children's home at all, under her own volition.

I'd like to see those cadaver dogs locate something tangible that can be lab tested if not identified by sight, not simply the scent of human decay. There's been a lot of resources and caring put into searching for this little girl among the local community and far beyond, despite a complete lack of evidence that she went anywhere near the woods or the hills or the swimming hole. I hope it's not all misdirection.

This is so sad. I feel for her family. Whatever difficulties they've been through with her, this is not what a parent expects to be 'procedure' when their child needs to be institutionalized.

Feeling particularly disheartened by this case, which I admit is a trigger for me and I know exactly why. Serenity, wherever you are and whatever has happened to you in your life, I hope you know that there are people who love you very much and wish they had been able to help you sooner. :tears:

ETA: MOO. (I always forget that. We need a cow emoji!)

Sadly, in my opinion, if they ever find her remains, it will answer nothing but it will allow her to be laid to rest. If they find her alive somewhere, there may be answers one day, or if she saves herself as some have. She has captured many hearts and I do hope wherever she is that she knows that.

If anyone did harm or kill this child, they may not have a conscience and they may have a semblance of one, hard to say, but either way, they care about their own arse and may their nightmares be full of fears of what is to come for them whether today, next year or, if one believes in such, the everafter.

Jmo.

 

[ilovechili]

I said that before- Hippie Hole. A lot of kids love water. Serenity would be no different. She may have remembered it from a day she went hiking there with either family when they visited or perhaps the home had scheduled fun days and had an outing there.

I don't think she's there, but that is where I would have looked myself.

Someone else may recall better but the day before when it was unseasonably nice out, it was early on stated they took the kids near water and a day or hike outside and Hippy Hole was mentioned as well I think on here in remarks/posts, but that may have been in relation to somewhere they took them on occasion, not sure if it was that particular day--and thoughts of where she may have headed.

I have other thoughts though of the same areas and not necessarily of her heading to them and running. I cannot help but do so with the way this has been handled, even if unintentionally handled, with at minimum much confusion.

I am sick of cases where cameras apparently exist but do not work or whatever the case may be.

Mild vent.

Jmo.

 

[human]

Hippy Hole would have been frozen in Feb

 

[SkipperKey3]

trying to link a map showing the Children's Home, Rockerville and Hippie Hole Trail and Parking.
All different directions...

Google Maps

As perhaps you can tell by the map, the road that heads down to Hippie Hole, called Foster Gulch Rd., intersects S Rockerville Rd about a mile north of the Home. From there it is perhaps three miles or so down to Hippie Hole, according to the measuring I did on Google Maps. That would mean a four mile hike. Not impossible, but if the couple drove up S Rockerville road as they said, looking for Serinity, it seems they would have spotter her before she reached Foster Gulch Rd. Furthermore, the couple cutting wood were on Foster Gulch Rd., per MSM. They saw a staffer out looking for Serenity but did not see Serenity. That seems to make it less likely that that is where Serenity was heading. Initial reports stated that it was possible that she was trying to go home, not to some outdoor spot, but I think those were just speculative. However, at this point it appears that she didn't keep walking along the roads, for whatever reason.

EDIT: Google Maps shows the distance by road from the Home to the Hippie Hole parking as 3.2 miles (by road).

 

[SkipperKey3]

Initially, LE believed the wood cutters were the last persons to see Serenity.

For whatever reason, LE was not called to the scene until 12:30pm -- first deputy arrived about 12:45pm, and search and rescued did not mobilize until 1:15pm.

I believe the confusion occurred when LE attempted to verify the who/what/where that happened before they were notified about the missing child, and arrived on the scene.

By late Sunday, Feb 3, 2019 - Authorities put out their first request:

Investigators are looking to speak with a couple who may have been the last to see a missing 9-year-old Pennington County girl.

Authorities said a man and woman were cutting wood in the area of Foster Gulch and South Rockerville Road and spoke with Children’s Home staff on Sunday between 10:30 a.m and 11:30 a.m. [prior to 911 call to LE by Children's Home]

Deputies would like to speak with them to better determine a timeline on Serenity Dennard’s disappearance and her direction of travel.

They are described as being in their late 20s or early 30s and driving a pickup truck.

Serenity was last seen leaving the Black Hills Children’s Home on Sunday about 10:45 a.m.

On April 29, 2019 - Sheriff Thom acknowledged the confusion, and issued the following:

RAPID CITY S.D. — Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of confusion surrounding the disappearance of Serenity Dennard.

On Monday, investigators and search crews turned up new information to clear up misunderstandings. Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom said dog teams involved in the search for Serenity are picking up a human scent in Rockerville. But with winter weather in the immediate forecast, Thom said the odds are against them finding the nine-year-old until the weather improves.

Serenity walked away from the Children’s Home Society on Sunday, Feb. 3. The couple who was chopping wood who believed they saw her, actually saw a staff member from the Children’s Home who was out searching. They did not actually see Serenity.

Sheriff Thom says two people who don’t work for the Children’s Home saw Serenity while they were in the parking lot. As far as investigators know, they are the last people to have seen her. The people in the parking lot tell investigators that Serenity crossed the cattle guard and headed north on South Rockerville Road.

After telling staff she was missing, they left the facility.

“Those two witnesses drove back out onto South Rockerville road, and didn’t see Serenity,” Thom said. “In that three to five minute window, she was no longer on the road. Where she went from there is what we’re trying to ascertain.”

Rescue crews are focusing their efforts on the area around the Children’s Home, and Teepee Gulch Road. Thom says the search continues because of the progress made by the dogs.

Video of Sheriff statements at link below

New details emerge in search for Serenity Dennard - KNBN NewsCenter1

In regard to the bolded, it seems that Teepee Gulch Rd, which intersects S. Rockerville Rd. just north of the Home, is the most likely place where Serenity would have left the main road, and would explain why the couple couldn't find her when they drove up and down the road. But it is hard to ascertain just why she would have done so, if she just wanted to go home. OTOH, if she heard people out calling for her and just wanted to hide, she could have gone off the road at almost any point.

 

[SkipperKey3]

I am talking about the confusion in the beginning and the discussion here. I think the fact the 911 call was off for one thing added to the confusion. Then most all of us thought they started looking outside for her immediately. There were conflicting media accounts and it was stated the woodcutters saw her on the road. In time, much of this changed and things were straightened out or seemingly so. To me, it never was, but that is jmo.

There also was an account of someone seeing her going up the hill and the direction too (I believe it was north but will not swear to that) and if I recall correctly it allegedly was from an employee, they could see her as she moved along amongst the trees.

I can understand the confusion because most of this is not what the facts purportedly are now.

I think giving a wrong time period had a lot to do with it. We were under the impression 911 was called almost immediately and that was pretty much stated hence the necessity for the correction later by the director. So then if we heard someone saw something at 11:30 or 12:30 (just examples, we took that and could figure if it was before 911 was called or after)--again just throwing out times as examples, not real times. This led to much confusion.

The way it stands now? No one saw Serenity ever head into the woods yet that is what we were all led to believe.

Not trying to argue, it is the way I recall it and I as well have been here. Again, I think when partial things come out and a very wrong time frame, it contributed to placing the other things where they belonged based on that wrong time frame.

Jmo.

There has been confusion, but there has also been speculation that has taking on a life of its own this far out, and grown into "fact", which was never the case. It was said she "could" have left the road by going up the hill / into the woods, but never that she "did". As for her being seen, no staffer ever saw her outside, only the person in car in the parking lot. I am not aware of any MSM or official statement that states that a staffer actually saw her, although I can see how in the early reports it could have been easy to confuse the people in the car with a staffer. And the idea of "up the hill" might have been misconstrued there as well. The person in the car saw her heading north on the main road, which does run slightly uphill at that point. I think her being seen "going north", walking "along the road" and "going uphill" may all have been a reference to the same thing, simply that she was headed north on S. Rockerville Rd. when last seen.

 

[Seattle1]

As July 3rd approaches -- please don't let another anniversary pass us by without recovering our girl.

Thank you searchers.

And thanks all for also keeping watch.

 

[Catmommy]

Serenity is somewhere but where? I'm beginning to think we may never know the answer. I pray that I'm wrong.

 

[human]

There has been confusion, but there has also been speculation that has taking on a life of its own this far out, and grown into "fact", which was never the case. It was said she "could" have left the road by going up the hill / into the woods, but never that she "did". As for her being seen, no staffer ever saw her outside, only the person in car in the parking lot. I am not aware of any MSM or official statement that states that a staffer actually saw her, although I can see how in the early reports it could have been easy to confuse the people in the car with a staffer. And the idea of "up the hill" might have been misconstrued there as well. The person in the car saw her heading north on the main road, which does run slightly uphill at that point. I think her being seen "going north", walking "along the road" and "going uphill" may all have been a reference to the same thing, simply that she was headed north on S. Rockerville Rd. when last seen.

So at that point what the people saw may not have been Serenity?

 

[janewall]

As perhaps you can tell by the map, the road that heads down to Hippie Hole, called Foster Gulch Rd., intersects S Rockerville Rd about a mile north of the Home. From there it is perhaps three miles or so down to Hippie Hole, according to the measuring I did on Google Maps. That would mean a four mile hike. Not impossible, but if the couple drove up S Rockerville road as they said, looking for Serinity, it seems they would have spotter her before she reached Foster Gulch Rd. Furthermore, the couple cutting wood were on Foster Gulch Rd., per MSM. They saw a staffer out looking for Serenity but did not see Serenity. That seems to make it less likely that that is where Serenity was heading. Initial reports stated that it was possible that she was trying to go home, not to some outdoor spot, but I think those were just speculative. However, at this point it appears that she didn't keep walking along the roads, for whatever reason.

EDIT: Google Maps shows the distance by road from the Home to the Hippie Hole parking as 3.2 miles (by road).

If we consider the possibility that Serenity's motivation for running was an attempt to go home – and I don't get any sense that her flight was that organized; I think she was running 'away' because of some emotional overload, not 'toward' anything in particular – I doubt that at age 9, having lived in this facility for a relatively short time, she would have the faintest idea in which direction to travel, much less a specific route in mind.

IMOO children at that age have no real sense of mapping or direction beyond their immediate neighborhood, and don't think point-to-point so much as "Let's go to the (playground, ice cream shop, McDonalds)" – then let an adult figure out how to get there and follow the adult's lead, or amuse themselves with games, chatter, or music while the adult is driving. From what I've seen, they need repeat exposure to walking (or biking) routes before they feel confident using them on their own, and tend to fear themselves lost rather quickly if they find themselves in a little-known area without a trusted adult. Just my own experience with chaperoning elementary-school-age children, and as a former child myself.

JMO

edit: punctuation

 

[Julia966]

I really wonder if Serenity ever left the grounds of the children's home at all, under her own volition.

I'd like to see those cadaver dogs locate something tangible that can be lab tested if not identified by sight, not simply the scent of human decay. There's been a lot of resources and caring put into searching for this little girl among the local community and far beyond, despite a complete lack of evidence that she went anywhere near the woods or the hills or the swimming hole. I hope it's not all misdirection.

This is so sad. I feel for her family. Whatever difficulties they've been through with her, this is not what a parent expects to be 'procedure' when their child needs to be institutionalized.

Feeling particularly disheartened by this case, which I admit is a trigger for me and I know exactly why. Serenity, wherever you are and whatever has happened to you in your life, I hope you know that there are people who love you very much and wish they had been able to help you sooner. :tears:

ETA: MOO. (I always forget that. We need a cow emoji!)

I'm starting to wonder that as well. I wonder if Person (2) in the car actually saw her or someone else. Is Person (2) the only person who claims to have seen her outside of the Home (besides the woodcutters who have been discounted)?

I suppose there are witnesses inside the Home who saw her run outside...or are there? I'd have to go back and read the articles to see who says they saw her run outside.

It's vexing and very strange, and I too am growing suspicious.

 

[SkipperKey3]

So at that point what the people saw may not have been Serenity?

It almost certainly was Serenity. She would have been the only girl outside at that time, and the staff was already aware she was missing or hiding. All I was saying was that simply because it may have been reported as seeing her going "up the hill" may have been a reference to which direction she was going (north/uphill) on the road.

 

[SkipperKey3]

If we consider the possibility that Serenity's motivation for running was an attempt to go home – and I don't get any sense that her flight was that organized; I think she was running 'away' because of some emotional overload, not 'toward' anything in particular – I doubt that at age 9, having lived in this facility for a relatively short time, she would have the faintest idea in which direction to travel, much less a specific route in mind.

IMOO children at that age have no real sense of mapping or direction beyond their immediate neighborhood, and don't think point-to-point so much as "Let's go to the (playground, ice cream shop, McDonalds)" – then let an adult figure out how to get there and follow the adult's lead, or amuse themselves with games, chatter, or music while the adult is driving. From what I've seen, they need repeat exposure to walking (or biking) routes before they feel confident using them on their own, and tend to fear themselves lost rather quickly if they find themselves in a little-known area without a trusted adult. Just my own experience with chaperoning elementary-school-age children, and as a former child myself.

JMO

edit: punctuation

I agree with you - to a point. Serenity was 9, almost 10. While she probably don't know the exact way home (although some kids actually are good with directions), she still certainly would have known which direction on the road they travelled when leaving (or alternately going to) the Home. I think she knew that she had to go north on that road to go home, but beyond that she may not have known exactly where to go. Many if not most elementary school children, especially her age, know in general what direction to go to school or to home. Even if they don't know the entire route, by that age they have an idea of which way to head when heading out. Serenity was probably aware that to go home, you go right at the main road. But every child differs, and so it is really hard to tell.

However, I actually agree that she was simply running to run. She may have turned north because she was more familiar with that direction. But her primary reason more than likely had to do with simply running "away", rather than running "toward" some place, if you follow what I mean.

 

[SkipperKey3]

I'm starting to wonder that as well. I wonder if Person (2) in the car actually saw her or someone else. Is Person (2) the only person who claims to have seen her outside of the Home (besides the woodcutters who have been discounted)?

I suppose there are witnesses inside the Home who saw her run outside...or are there? I'd have to go back and read the articles to see who says they saw her run outside.

It's vexing and very strange, and I too am growing suspicious.

Somebody else? They saw a young girl. Who else would it have been that fits Serenity's description?
The staffer in the gym saw her leave the gym, but not actually go outside. That is why they initially thought she was inside. The person in the car saw her outside on the road.

 

[Podengo]

If they saw someone that wasn’t Serenity it could have been a staff member looking for Serenity. Not suggesting that’s the case, just pointing out a possibility (that has probably been ruled out).

 

[SkipperKey3]

I really wonder if Serenity ever left the grounds of the children's home at all, under her own volition.

I'd like to see those cadaver dogs locate something tangible that can be lab tested if not identified by sight, not simply the scent of human decay. There's been a lot of resources and caring put into searching for this little girl among the local community and far beyond, despite a complete lack of evidence that she went anywhere near the woods or the hills or the swimming hole. I hope it's not all misdirection.

<snip>

"Under her own volition"? What are the other options that take the facts into account? The person in the car saw her up on the road. So if she didn't leave under her own volition, then that leaves only these possibilities
(1) The person told the truth, but Serenity went back toward the buildings and something happened there. The grounds have been searched extensively, and aren't nearly as difficult to search as the countryside. That only leaves something nefarious by a staff member, which seems unlikely. And I'm sure LE has checked out all the staff that were working that day.
(2) The person told the truth, but Serenity was picked up by an unseen car. A possibility, but it seems remote to me because of the conditions of the day, the day of the week, the remoteness of the home, etc.
(3) The person thought they saw Serenity but didn't. That seems unlikely. Again, the Home and staff will have all been checked out thoroughly.
(4) The person deliberately lied. That would implicate one or both people in the car. They were later identified as parents. That seems unlikely.
I don't see any other possibilities. And none of those four possibilities seems all that likely. I'm sure LE thinks so as well, which is why they keep looking.

The latest search again resulted in the cadaver dogs catching a scent of something, I believe. We shall see. Cadaver dogs are helpful, but hardly flawless. The "complete lack of evidence" is hardly conclusive. It is a VERY difficult area to search, even with dogs, and they have no idea how far she may have wandered. It is neither easy nor small. And I believe that there have been others who have disappeared and not been found for a long time despite extensive searches.

It is possible that she isn't there. But I don't think they want to make that assumption until they have done all they can.