SD SD - Serenity Dennard, 9, Children’s Home Society, Pennington County, 3 Feb 2019 #4

[PommyMommy]

MAY 19, 2020
The search for missing people in Pennington County continues
Today was the last day of a four-day search for Serenity Dennard and Larry Genzlinger.

Teams were brought in from Colorado, Montana and Wyoming on Friday working alongside The Pennington County Sheriff's Office, Pennington County Search and Rescue, and the Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department.

[...]

MAY 21, 2020
Missing girl, hunter not found after four-day search
[...]

The volunteers and dogs searched by foot and on side-by-sides and with the SHERP all-terrain vehicle, according to Helene Duhamel, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. The teams covered 190 miles in the area Genzlinger went missing and 110 miles for Dennard.

The sheriff’s office is not sharing specifics of the search, Duhamel said when asked if the dogs picked up any scents or found any evidence such as clothing.

[...]

Local search parties cover nearly 400 miles on foot over four days - KNBN NewsCenter1
[...]

The four day search covered a total of about 400 miles on foot.

Mark Hughes, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office Captain, said “You know unfortunately, obviously we didn’t locate Larry or Serenity, we had some rainy weather, we had some heat, we had some, obviously weather obstacles, but I would say overall the search went very well. We covered a lot of ground.”

[...]

 

[borndem]

Into thin air went our little girl lost.

It does sound like the search was broad and thorough.
Two groups of relatives and friends of the missing persons are left to continue to wonder and grieve.
Bless them all, and positive thoughts to them and to Serenity and Larry.

 

[Stina]

Larry has been found.
Sheriff: Missing hunter's body found in Black Hills

 

[K9Enzo]

Larry has been found.
Sheriff: Missing hunter's body found in Black Hills

Thank you for sharing. Poor guy. The article said he was found two miles from of his PLS by a resident repairing a fence. IMO, searches are difficult, that terrain is difficult. He was a grown man, think of a small child. Terrible.

 

[borndem]

So good to hear he has been found. Now his family and friends know for sure about him and that will give them grief but also some peace and relief from their not knowing.

I'm glad for the searchers, too. They have something to show for all their hard work. May this be an inspiration for them in other searches.

And our little girl is still lost. SMH. Such sadness for everyone.
So we and her family will continue to wait and to hope.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Thinking of Serenity today. I hope the searchers know how much they’re appreciated.

Please little one, send us a sign You need to be back with your family.

 

[tmiddle3]

^^sbbm
Serenity was just that -- a 9 year old child that was afraid of the dark, and walked outside wearing only snowboots and light clothing. It's so unreal to propose that she would walk 9.9 miles, pick up a hat, coat, gloves in an unlocked car, and what --live happily ever after?

I agree. I remember the weather that day. It was damn cold and began snowing. No way she walked that far. I would be lucky to walk that far in a tshirt.

 

[borndem]

I agree. I remember the weather that day. It was damn cold and began snowing. No way she walked that far. I would be lucky to walk that far in a tshirt.

Yes, the cold, the dark, and her thoughts at that time were her enemies that night. She must have been determined in her innocent, young mind, just to be somewhere else -- maybe just for a while, she may have thought, or for forever. We can't and probably will never know what propelled her to start walking. Did she try to turn around and go back? We'll probably never know.

But not one scrap of any of her clothes... Oh, little lost girl -- in so many ways.

Many good and thank-you thoughts for those determined searchers.

Thanks for your first post, @tmiddle3, so there's this:

Welcome to Websleuths,
tmiddle3 !!​

 

[SkipperKey3]

Yes, the cold, the dark, and her thoughts at that time were her enemies that night. She must have been determined in her innocent, young mind, just to be somewhere else -- maybe just for a while, she may have thought, or for forever. We can't and probably will never know what propelled her to start walking. Did she try to turn around and go back? We'll probably never know.

But not one scrap of any of her clothes... Oh, little lost girl -- in so many ways.

Many good and thank-you thoughts for those determined searchers.

​

The problem is that they really can't tell where to search. It is a large, rugged area. She could have started walking toward the north, but ended up going any direction. She may have been able to cover a fair amount of ground in the first hour or so before the weather started really getting bitter, but she must have gotten cold fairly quickly, since she didn't even have on a coat. She was last seen heading north, but the people who saw her and then tried to find her again, didn't see her along the main road. That means either (1) she stayed close and hid somewhere, and that hiding spot hasn't been located, (2) she cut inland, which is very rugged, so wouldn't have gotten terribly far, (3) she followed a more passable road, like the one that intersects the main road just to the north of the Home. If so, she could have gotten further. Yet I believe that road has been search pretty thoroughly. From the aerial view, it looks like there are several places she could have veered off that road as well, paths and the like, but I can't help but think that when she started to get cold, she did what she apparently did well - found a little cubby hole somewhere, some secluded hiding place, to try to keep warm. If so, it would explain why she hasn't been found, even after all this time.

The dogs haven't found her, but they were out looking for 4 days, looking for her and Larry, and they didn't find him either. He just happened to be found accidentally by somebody else. I don't think she will be so easily found, if she is out there.

Anybody know if there are any further searches planned? Or have they given up after so much time?

 

[oviedo]

This one tugs at my heart

 

[girlhasnoname]

Serenity you are not forgotten...

 

[TheMissing&TheMurdered]

This case really hurts my heart... I think about her almost daily.

 

[borndem]

This case really hurts my heart... I think about her almost daily.

Same here. I think this little girl (and she was just a little girl in so many ways) has affected all of us -- we understand, as best we can, why she felt she needed to get away for a while. And Poof! she's gone, not leaving a trace -- nothing.
Little girl lost. And her parents have got to be resigning themselves that she is very likely gone forever. Lost, alone and now truly gone, very likely.
Yes, she tugs at our hearts every day, and we hope that she is at peace.
SMH.

 

[K9Enzo]

I’d be curious to know if any dogs have alerted to human remains in the search area after that hunter was found a few months ago. IMO

 

[Snackcakes66]

Bump....Serenity is not forgotten.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Well if that many show up, put them out in the woods, 6’ apart to look for sweet little Serenity!

South Dakota's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally expecting to draw 250K, amid coronavirus concerns

 

[Catmommy]

Serenity, Serenity, still gone but never forgotten.

 

[borndem]

Sweet, searching, and lost little girl. But not forgotten by many, I'm sure.

 

[YaYa_521]

Well if that many show up, put them out in the woods, 6’ apart to look for sweet little Serenity!

South Dakota's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally expecting to draw 250K, amid coronavirus concerns

I'd be willing to bet that most of them would be happy to search! I wish someone would have organized a search party. I hope she's found soon.

 

[YaYa_521]

The problem is that they really can't tell where to search. It is a large, rugged area. She could have started walking toward the north, but ended up going any direction. She may have been able to cover a fair amount of ground in the first hour or so before the weather started really getting bitter, but she must have gotten cold fairly quickly, since she didn't even have on a coat. She was last seen heading north, but the people who saw her and then tried to find her again, didn't see her along the main road. That means either (1) she stayed close and hid somewhere, and that hiding spot hasn't been located, (2) she cut inland, which is very rugged, so wouldn't have gotten terribly far, (3) she followed a more passable road, like the one that intersects the main road just to the north of the Home. If so, she could have gotten further. Yet I believe that road has been search pretty thoroughly. From the aerial view, it looks like there are several places she could have veered off that road as well, paths and the like, but I can't help but think that when she started to get cold, she did what she apparently did well - found a little cubby hole somewhere, some secluded hiding place, to try to keep warm. If so, it would explain why she hasn't been found, even after all this time.

The dogs haven't found her, but they were out looking for 4 days, looking for her and Larry, and they didn't find him either. He just happened to be found accidentally by somebody else. I don't think she will be so easily found, if she is out there.

Anybody know if there are any further searches planned? Or have they given up after so much time?

RBBM

I've said early on in this thread that I hoped searchers were looking higher up in the trees. I keep imagining little Serenity climbing up a tree into a little cubbyhole in an effort to hide from searchers and stay warm. She's a very smart, experienced little lady for her age. At her age, my brother and I were everywhere in the woods surrounding our home. I had camps and hideouts that scare me when I think of them in my adult years. I pray for her. I hope she ran to someone who thinks they're helping her by keeping her safe and happy. But I know...I know.