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

[IceIce9]

Did she have a cell phone? Is it possible she contacted a family member to pick her up? Who else would a 9 year old call to come and get her besides family? Was she placed there by the family or against their wishes? How did she get the door open, shouldn’t it have been secured? Are they any cameras outside?

So many questions.

 

[aegarner1]

I read that the presser was longer but due to the temps in the area the camera equipment stopped working.

 

[Forpsy]

Have they mentioned if she has a phone?
I'm assuming that she doesn't but one can hope.

 

[doodles1211]

The Civil Air Patrol joined the search for Serenity Dennard this morning.

SERENITY DENNARD Archives - KVRR Local News

 

[hollye]

Dennard and three other children were being supervised by two staff members when one of the other children ran away, Colson said. As a staffer ran after that child, Dennard then took off herself. Because the remaining staffer was still supervising two other children, they stayed put and called for help rather than follow Dennard.


UPDATE: Missing girl ran away from staff

 

[hollye]

Dennard and three other children were being supervised by two staff members when one of the other children ran away, Colson said. As a staffer ran after that child, Dennard then took off herself. Because the remaining staffer was still supervising two other children, they stayed put and called for help rather than follow Dennard.


UPDATE: Missing girl ran away from staff

I wonder if Serenity and this other child planned for the one child to run, so that Serenity could get away or if it was a spontaneous opportunistic decision for Serenity...

 

[Forpsy]

I can't imagine why they would see her running out and not be able to catch her?

 

[Curiousobserver]

Dennard and three other children were being supervised by two staff members when one of the other children ran away, Colson said. As a staffer ran after that child, Dennard then took off herself. Because the remaining staffer was still supervising two other children, they stayed put and called for help rather than follow Dennard.


UPDATE: Missing girl ran away from staff

Bad news- a spur of the moment thing and not someone waiting outside for her. Perhaps she did try and make it on foot.

 

[cybervampira]

Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Investigators looking for couple who saw missing child
Pennington County, SD – Investigators with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office want to speak with the couple who last saw the missing nine year old near the Black Hills Children’s Home. A male and female were cutting wood in the area of Foster Gulch and South Rockerville Road and spoke with Children’s Home staff on Sunday, February 3, 2019, between 10:30 am and 11:30 am. They are described as being in their late 20s or early 30s and driving a pickup truck.
We believe these two may have been the last to see Serenity Dennard. Deputies would like to speak with them to better determine a timeline on Serenity’s disappearance and her direction of travel.
Serenity was last seen leaving the Black Hills Children’s Home on Sunday about 10:45 am. She is described as a Caucasian female, 4 foot 7 inches, 90 pounds, with blue eyes and shoulder length dark blonde hair. She was last seen wearing only a long sleeved grey shirt with flowers, blue jeans and snow boots.
More than 65 people and four dogs continue searching the area around the Children’s Home including Pennington County Deputies, Pennington County Search and Rescue, Custer County Search and Rescue, Rapid City Police Department, Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department, Rapid City Fire Department and the Civil Air Patrol.
We encourage anyone living in the Rockerville and Highway 16 area to search their outbuildings and property. If anyone has seen or had contact with Serenity Dennard, please contact the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at (605) 394-6115.

 

[aegarner1]

Thanks cybervampira I was just getting ready to post this. I saw times changed from last being seen from 11:26 am i believe to now 10:45 am

Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Investigators looking for couple who saw missing child
Pennington County, SD – Investigators with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office want to speak with the couple who last saw the missing nine year old near the Black Hills Children’s Home. A male and female were cutting wood in the area of Foster Gulch and South Rockerville Road and spoke with Children’s Home staff on Sunday, February 3, 2019, between 10:30 am and 11:30 am. They are described as being in their late 20s or early 30s and driving a pickup truck.
We believe these two may have been the last to see Serenity Dennard. Deputies would like to speak with them to better determine a timeline on Serenity’s disappearance and her direction of travel.
Serenity was last seen leaving the Black Hills Children’s Home on Sunday about 10:45 am. She is described as a Caucasian female, 4 foot 7 inches, 90 pounds, with blue eyes and shoulder length dark blonde hair. She was last seen wearing only a long sleeved grey shirt with flowers, blue jeans and snow boots.
More than 65 people and four dogs continue searching the area around the Children’s Home including Pennington County Deputies, Pennington County Search and Rescue, Custer County Search and Rescue, Rapid City Police Department, Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department, Rapid City Fire Department and the Civil Air Patrol.
We encourage anyone living in the Rockerville and Highway 16 area to search their outbuildings and property. If anyone has seen or had contact with Serenity Dennard, please contact the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at (605) 394-6115.

View attachment 167458

 

[Forpsy]

Uh oh.

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

Thanks cybervampira I was just getting ready to post this. I saw times changed from last being seen from 11:26 am i believe to now 10:45 am

What does that mean??? She was actually missing 45 minutes before they noticed she was gone, or that someone either can't tell time, or can't report it accurately? The more details I read, the more skeptical and upset I become. This was an extremely vulnerable young child whose family entrusted her care to a "secure" facility! Mind boggling! MOO.

 

[Confusion]

Thanks cybervampira I was just getting ready to post this. I saw times changed from last being seen from 11:26 am i believe to now 10:45 am

What does that mean??? She was actually missing 45 minutes before they noticed she was gone, or that someone either can't tell time, or can't report it accurately? The more details I read, the more skeptical and upset I become. This was an extremely vulnerable young child whose family entrusted her care to a "secure" facility! Mind boggling! MOO.

I'm usually one of the last people to question what we've been told, but this has me really confused. It sounded like the staff member called for help right away, they say she ran at 10:45, and LE believed she ran at about 11:20. I'm wondering who she called for help, and if someone did go look for her right away. If LE was called right away and told that she was last seen at 11:20, but it was only about 10:45 at the time of the call, would they take it seriously? I can't believe that they would wait for over 30 minutes to call LE when they knew they had a child with emotional and/or behavioral issues missing.
I did have a thought while writing this. Maybe she took off at 10:45 and the couple said they saw her at about 11:20. That still doesn't explain why LE wasn't called immediately.
MOO

I have a question with reference to the photo below. It looks so cold and snowy outside but I do have to ask why the outbuilding to the left of the photo is devoid of any snow on the left sloping roof of the outbuilding. To me, it says it is flipping warm in there compared to everywhere else. What am I getting at? I really don’t know but as sure as hell that outbuilding is losing enough heat out the roof enough to make the Snow not even be there. Just curious nothing more.

I'd say it depends on when the picture was taken. We (and they) have had some rather warm days mixed in with all of the cold and snow. It's possible that that side faces the sun, and it warmed the snow up enough for it to slide off the roof. I know I see that happen fairly often. MOO

 

[doodles1211]

IMO... and just guessing.... the call for her missing came in at about 1120? She ran off at 1045 and they looked for her for a half hour and then called??

 

[IceIce9]

IMO... and just guessing.... the call for her missing came in at about 1120? She ran off at 1045 and they looked for her for a half hour and then called??

How fast can a child run in snow boots?

 

[IceIce9]

Were the kids inside when she ran? Was the door able to just be pushed open by a child and poof she was gone? No fence or cameras outside?

 

[LVatty10]

This whole situation just doesn’t sit well with me. Can’t post the questions I have after sleuthing on SM.

All I can say is, this facility is going to have quite the lawsuit on its hands. At least they would if I had a say. All of it reeks of negligence, if not gross negligence. So sad.

 

[Forpsy]

So, the staff questioned the wood cutting couple who saw Serenity and now LE wants to talk to them?
They didn't talk to them before?
This just keeps getting squirelly.

 

[Steelslady]

Usually children of this age would be voluntarily placed in this type of facility for treatment, or for the safety of the child or for the safety of other children in the home.

If a child has violent tendencies or anger management issues the parents can make what I am sure is the difficult decision to voluntarily place the child. When this happens it is often because there are yournger or smaller children in the home who could be injured by violent outbursts.

Children can also be placed by CPS if it is decided the parents are not able to keep the child safely at home. For example, if the child had multiple escapes or inflicted harm or himself/herself.

Thank you. I was sitting on my hands not saying much, having worked at a rehab that had children with violent and behavioral tendencies.

Some do try to escape, many times, too. Workers are on their toes, watching them, but somehow, they do manage to escape and usually are gone for a few hours- the police or workers usually find them eventually. Many of these places are in countrified areas, with many homes set up around the property to home them. The one I worked at had a school as these children truly can't be mainstreamed, for various reasons. Not all are violent, I want to make that clear.

What is so sad is the poor families and what they go through with placing their child in these homes. Many times, they want to bring their child home for the holidays or out for their birthdays, but the children most of them are attached to the home and workers and don't want to leave with their families. Some need a worker to come home with them, as they need to be watched 24/7 for reasons varying- especially if one takes off on their own.

I trained at the rehab up in the mountains where the children and school is, but worked at a group home for adults elsewhere after being trained. A little girl got attached to me while I was training and they tried to off me a job there, as she was opening up, laughing and playing like a child her age would, when I was there. She melted my heart, but unfortunately, I lived too far away from the rehab and my job was close to home.

It would break your heart to put your child in one of these places. Not because the workers aren't excellent or anything awful happening at them- it's just a very painful thing to see as a worker these darling children have these issues, families working hard and doing the right things because they do want to bring them home but can't because they just can't supervise them 24/7 and handle them when violent episodes occur.

I pray sweet Serenity is found soon safe and sound. I am sure the workers are really worried, stressed, and upset at her disappearance, and my heart goes out to them. Little darlings can be sly, waiting for the workers to be distracted with another child and slip out before you get a chance to realize they are gone- which is usually a matter of minutes, because they do constant head counts- constant.

 

[Savmom]

The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are very confusing.

And I wonder why the parents have not made any appearances.

From this article

Dennard is a referred child and resident of CHS.

Referred by whom??