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

[Steelslady]

It just seems bizarre to me that she hasn’t been found. The passenger of the car saw her “walking” north on the road. If the adults came outside a few minutes later, she could not have gotten far!

I have an 8 almost 9 year old. So I’m just heartbroken.

Question: has the wood cutting couples story changed? I thought they saw serenity. Now they saw a staff member? May be the result of sloppy reporting but it’s a very important fact. Something doesn’t seem right. I know we cannot post the results of sleuthing the family. But I wonder who regularly visited Serenity. She lived with her dad. Any relationship with or visitors from moms side of the family? Wish we had a verified insider. I have more questions than I did a week ago.

Prayers for the searchers and the kiddos at the home who are surely missing their friend.

I truly believe the part about the couple seeing Serenity on the road was bad reporting, as we often see in these missing cases today. They also said that a lady was dropping off a relative and saw her by a cattle area, and they never mentioned until a couple of days ago that while this lady went in to tell a staff member she saw a child unsupervised, and that the passenger in her car kept and eye on Serenity walking down the street. When the lady came out after reporting Serenity by herself, she drove the way the passenger told her that Serenity went, and they couldn't find her. So, I think the media mixed or merged two stories into one and made corrections much later in the week. Here we all were wondering why that poor lady didn't say anything to staff, and it turned out that not only did she report Serenity walking away, but she also kept driving back and forth a few times, trying to find her!

 

[Steelslady]

Okay I'm hoping this visual will help people understand/visualize.

This picture with Serenity's hair pulled back is the most recent, from mid to late January.

This standing picture is from Christmas 2018.

This pink shirt picture is from early October 2018.

Pictures from: Pennington County Fire Service

What a beautiful darling girl she is. My heart just aches for her, whatever happened to her before she had to move into the home, and now.

 

[IceIce9]

I think I remember that early in the search they said outside cameras were not working because of the weather?

If that is the case they need better technology. Even a cheap doorbell camera work in winter weather.

In the city where I live there was a shooting outside a daycare and the cameras caught it all. Some sort of custody dispute and a man shot his ex wife while she was dropping off their child.

And that was just a regular daycare, not even a place like this where children can be placed against the will of the parent or guardian.

 

[Jackielee09]

What a beautiful darling girl she is. My heart just aches for her, whatever happened to her before she had to move into the home, and now.

Is this a children’s pychiatric facility? I’ll research too but wondering.

 

[IceIce9]

i could see the staff not jumping into cars and looking. if they left in a vehicle that wasn't approved to their job, they could be facing huge lawsuit if they got in an accident and so forth.
crappy to think that lawsuit could keep a person from doing it but its what we created

Not jumping into cars but at least looking on foot after calling 911. Like, calling 911 immediately. A little girl outside without a coat in those temperatures is an emergency worthy of calling for immediate assistance.

 

[SkipperKey3]

it's on dads fb or moms. I don't recall. it's a beautiful family though, they all look so loved and always smiling

I don't know their names so I don't know how to find the FB pages. Link?

 

[zecats]

Is this a children’s pychiatric facility? I’ll research too but wondering.

Mixed reviews of this facility.

And in the middle of nowhere, as stated by others.

Google Maps

 

[zecats]

Staff waited more than 90 minutes before calling 911. Snowstorm hampered. Now considered recovery. This is all so disappointingly sad and probably. preventable..

Recovery effort resumes in South Dakota for missing 9-year-old girl

 

[ilovepierre]

Is this a children’s pychiatric facility? I’ll research too but wondering.

It’s a residential home for children with mental and behavioural problems. It’s also for children who have experienced abuse or trauma.

 

[Jackielee09]

Staff waited more than 90 minutes before calling 911. Snowstorm hampered. Now considered recovery. This is all so disappointingly sad and probably. preventable..

Recovery effort resumes in South Dakota for missing 9-year-old girl

Was this not a locked facility? Definitely preventable. Very sad.

 

[Stunned]

It’s a residential home for children with mental and behavioural problems. It’s also for children who have experienced abuse or trauma.

All the more reason for them to have top of the line technology and security!

 

[zencompass]

Video from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office filmed this morning (Sunday):

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1027552550766961

 

[Confusion]

i could see the staff not jumping into cars and looking. if they left in a vehicle that wasn't approved to their job, they could be facing huge lawsuit if they got in an accident and so forth.
crappy to think that lawsuit could keep a person from doing it but its what we created

If she was still that close, they shouldn't need a vehicle to find her. Even if it was too much for anyone to go after her on foot, places like that usually have vehicles (cars and/or vans) that are used to transport residents to off site appointments or other activities. I can understand them wanting to search inside the facilities in case she was hiding, but I don't understand nobody going outside to check for her for at least 15 minutes. Maybe I just think that way because the runners I've known wouldn't have stayed inside and hid when they took off, but it's possible that she's done that in the past. MOO

ETA: I'm also wondering why they don't have some kind of alarm/buzzer or something that goes off when an exterior door is opened. It could have let them know immediately that they needed to look for her outside rather than in the building.

 

[stephlovescheese]

Would Serenity have been voluntarily entered into this facility by family? Or can young children be involuntarily committed? Would children be allowed off the premises with family at any time? Would these children have access to the internet or telephones?

Deleted by me, i responded way late and it’s been answered.

 

[Jackielee09]

I wonder if she told her friends she was planning to run away. Or in the moment decision. At 9 I was deciding which doll to play with.

 

[zecats]

i could see the staff not jumping into cars and looking. if they left in a vehicle that wasn't approved to their job, they could be facing huge lawsuit if they got in an accident and so forth.
crappy to think that lawsuit could keep a person from doing it but its what we created

Losing a child certainly presents the possibility of a bigger lawsuit awaiting them. IMO

 

[Trudie]

Bless the men/women & dogs searching for Serenity.
I still feel she’s with someone. I can’t fathom how she got so far away in short order. However, with the confusion over times, idk what to believe. Moo

 

[Monkey boy]

It would be nice if everyone's questions could be answered...what was serenity thinking? Why did she run? Why did she go outside? Was she angry? Was she sad? Was she upset with her parents? It's so sad but only Serenity can answer those questions
The staff at the home is asking themselves the same questions and they are devastated.... The what ifs are what keep you up at night and we all have them

 

[Clareneko]

Is there any way I can help from home?

 

[IceIce9]

It would be nice if everyone's questions could be answered...what was serenity thinking? Why did she run? Why did she go outside? Was she angry? Was she sad? Was she upset with her parents? It's so sad but only Serenity can answer those questions
The staff at the home is asking themselves the same questions and they are devastated.... The what ifs are what keep you up at night and we all have them

My top questions have nothing to do with why she ran. I think these type of facilities must be prepared for kids to escape, considering the reasons the children are admitted there.

What is the protocol for children who leave the building?

Why did they wait 90 minutes before calling 911? Is this the protocol?

Were there security measures in place?

Were cameras not adequate for the weather conditions or out of service?