Parents Seek Death Ruling for Missing U.S. Student

Parents of a University of Pittsburgh student missing in the Dominican Republic asked police to declare her dead. Sudiksha Konanki vanished two weeks ago while on spring break in Punta Cana. Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki say local authorities believe she drowned after an exhaustive search.

The 20-year-old was last seen swimming near a resort beach on March 3 per her friends. Rough currents that day swept several swimmers out with no trace of her since. Dominican officials found no signs of foul play but halted active efforts last week.

Her parents wrote to police Monday citing the lack of leads and water conditions then. They seek closure after joining the search with U.S. Embassy aid to no avail. Pittsburgh classmates mourn her as bright and kind with a vigil set for Friday.

Konanki’s case echoes other tourist deaths in the Dominican Republic raising safety flags. Over 2 million Americans visit yearly drawn by cheap resorts and sun. Her parents now push for better warnings on ocean risks at such spots.

Local police say drowning fits the pattern of past incidents off Punta Cana’s coast. They recovered her belongings near the shore but no body after 14 days. The family awaits a formal ruling to bring her legacy home legally.

The U.S. State Department issued no new travel alerts tied to this case so far. Past mysterious deaths there in 2019 sparked probes with mixed results. Konanki’s fate adds to calls for tighter oversight of tourist zones abroad.

Her parents face the grim task of planning a memorial without her remains. They praise Dominican efforts but grieve the outcome after tireless days. Friends launched a fund to honor her with a scholarship in her name soon.

This tragedy cuts short a young life and tests cross-border response to missing persons. It leaves a family broken and a college reeling from sudden loss. How nations handle such cases may shift if pressure builds from this one.