Authorities and volunteer search teams are still franticly searching for 19-year-old Saniyya Dennis. Wilson Wong. Dennis threw away "personal items" that led investigators to believe she would not return to the dorm and took a bus to Niagara Falls State Park by herself, Flynn said. Calvin Byrd, Dennis' father, told NBC affiliate WGRZ that the experience was a "nightmare.". 2023 Cable News Network. Equally, when she did not return to the campus on Saturday, the school bore a responsibility regarding her safety, the familys statement said. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - North Charleston Police are responding to a crash with serious injuries Saturday afternoon. She then sent a text telling him she planned to kill herself, Flynn said. Missing students are rare at Buffalo State. About an hour after that phone conversation ended, Dennis threw personal items into a garbage can. Dennis family also alleged the college minimized her disappearance as nonurgent conflicting with the district attorneys assertion she died by suicide and accused Flynn of misrepresenting evidence during his news conference, including the video confirming she was in Niagara Falls State Park. About 20 minutes later, she texted a male friend, telling him that she spoke with her mom and was on her way back to Buffalo. Dogs were trained to pick up her scent. This is not of her nature," Saniyyas sister, Keyora Dennis, said at a recent press conference Friday. Saniyya Dennis was last seen on April 24. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Marianne Williamson opens long shot 2024 challenge, Officials provide update on fatal fire, cause still, Fix it! Flynn did not say what those items were, but said they would make someone believe she wasnt planning to return to her dorm. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. "We've never had a missing person case such as this we're experiencing now with Ms. Dennis," Carey said. Dennis walked toward a garbage can on campus and threw away "personal items that would lead someone to believe that she was not returning to the dorm," he said. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo State College on April 24, the University Police Department said in a news release. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Dennis, 19, was last seen on April 24 leaving her residence hall around 11:30 p.m., according to University Police. Dennis, of Bronx, New York, is a college sophomore. They stopped picking up the scent near Goat Island, Flynn said. Why does it take so long to get video footage of buses?. Latisha Dennis says she will put up. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Buffalo State University and its police did not perform a wellness check until almost two calendar days after Saniyyas disappearance and more than a business day after our formal request. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Authorities in New York believe that a missing Buffalo State University sophomore took her own life, but investigators have not found Saniyya Dennis' body. "She was a good friend, a good person. Despite the evidence, the DA said the search for Dennis will continue. She was very focused on her studies, she said. Courtney Gabamonte has also been helping in the search, she tells us, being a woman and having a girl missing is just heartbreaking so why not come out and help look if were not far from where she might be found?. Our one and only goal in this investigation is to locate Saniyya and reconnect her with her family, UPD Chief Peter Carey said in a statement Saturday. The family of a Buffalo State College student missing since last weekend has put up a $10,000 reward for information that leads to her safe return. A missing 19-year-old from Hopkinton was found dead in a wooded area of Milford on Tuesday, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday evening. However, cellphone records showed that to not be true. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Family and supporters of missing Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis have been looking for leads in the case in Niagara Falls. Odd, Flynn held his conference days before Mothers Day without any regard for the Dennis family, the statement said. She was a mechanical engineer major. Julia Stevens has been searching for Saniyya, Its important to show up as a community and show this family that we care, that we will continue to be out here and we wont stop until we find Saniyya Dennis., #HappeningNow: a search party has gathered near Cave of the Winds in the effort to find missing 19-year-old Buff State student Saniyya Dennis. You can watch DA Flynns full news conference below. BUFFALO, New York (WABC) -- Police and family are searching for a missing SUNY Buffalo State College student from the Bronx who has been missing for more than a week. She also spoke about dying by suicide with a male friend, he added. A large group of volunteers searched for Dennis over the weekend at Niagara Falls State Park near Goat Island, where police said her phone last pinged, the station reported. Dennis, a sophomore at Buffalo State College, disappeared after leaving her dorm on April 24. The last time Dennis was seen on video was around 12:17 a.m. She was seen on park cameras on the bridge along Goat Island Road. NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. On Wednesday community members continued to search for Dennis, a 19-year-old Buffalo State College student. "My daughter is a Black honor roll student at the college and has no tendency of doing nothing, Calvin Byrd, Dennis father, said. Saniyya Dennis, a 19-year-old sophomore from the Bronx, was last seen leaving her college dorm on April 24. The statement challenged or refuted more than a dozen assertions laid out by Flynn during his news conference. The two remained on the phone for several hours before she later told the male friend she had reconsidered. Did you encounter any technical issues? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, She also defended the University Police Chief Peter Carey, saying he and his officers have been working tirelessly to locate Saniyya. M issing for over a week, family and friends continue to search for 19-year-old Buffalo State student Saniyya Dennis. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The family also raised issues with the Snapchat post Flynn referenced and suggested it could have been doctored. Updated: 11:33 PM EDT May 3, 2021 BUFFALO, N.Y. 2 On Your Side continues to ask the tough questions on the search for Saniyya Dennis, the missing Buffalo State student who hasn't been. Buffalo State remains in close consultation with and is supporting the Dennis family," Carey said in a statement this weekend. My thoughts and prayers remain with Saniyyas family and friends during this difficult time. Saturday, the search for her continued, with family and friends again canvassing. Around 1 a.m., the teen took a Snapchat selfie near the Nikola Tesla monument with Niagara Falls in the background, according to Flynn. Dennis, 19, was last seen on April 24 leaving her residence hall around 11:30 p.m., according to University Police. HANAHAN, S.C. (WCSC) - Police in Hanahan are searching for a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing on Tuesday. At 12:19 a.m., the male friend called her and they spoke for 45 minutes, Flynn said. Campus police are working with a variety of local, state and federal agencies to locate Dennis, according to UPD. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Missing Buffalo State student Saniyya Dennis. Anyone with information about the search for Vandergrift is asked to call SFPD Tip Line at 415-575 . Missing Bronx college student Saniyya Dennis (family/officials), by: Lauren Cook, Evan Anstey/WIVB, Mark Sundstrom. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. ET, Dennis was seen leaving her dorm room at State University of New York College at Buffalo. Flynn said she got into an argument with her boyfriend, which ended with him breaking up with her. Around 12:18 a.m., the male friend warned in a text that he would call police if she did not call him in 30 seconds. Dennis, 19, was. Mr. Flynn purposefully placed Saniyya in a negative light as though she was a depraved stalker who harassed her boyfriend for attention, the family statement said. Flynn said on the afternoon of April 24, Dennis got into an argument with her boyfriend in New York City over the phone. (Source: WPXI/ROSS TOWNSHIP POLICE/CNN) Market data provided by Factset. His screenshot of her alleged storyline is not dated and has no time, video or chat from her, the family statement said. The teens parents, meanwhile, had demanded answers last week on why more wasnt being done to find the missing mechanical engineering major, the Buffalo News reported. Saniyya Dennis, 19, is a sophomore who was. About 20 minutes after this, she texted a male friend, and said that she spoke with her mom and was on her way back to Buffalo. A Buffalo State College student missing since last month may have thrown herself from Niagara Falls after her boyfriend broke up with her, authorities said Thursday. Please enter valid email address to continue. Investigators initially said she may have remained in the area or traveled to Yonkers, near New York City, a news release, updated on April 28, said. During a news conference on Friday, Dennis family members said it was uncharacteristic of her to suddenly disappear. Prosecutors say it appears 19-year-old Saniya Dennis took her own life. A Warner Bros. 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The district attorney said Dennis had multiple conversations about suicide the day she disappeared and was captured by park cameras inside Niagara Falls State Park that night. Julia Stevens, who is part of the activist group, Allies for Black Justice, led a search party Friday and distributed posters around the area of the park where the cellphone ping took place. "Looking at Niagara Falls, the area is just filled with rocks," he said. Dennis, who is from the Bronx, is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, approximately 125 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. While authorities have not located the 19-year-old's body, they were able to reach that conclusion based on a timeline of her last hours. According to investigators, her boyfriend broke up with her that day. THE BRONX, N.Y. The family of Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis, who disappeared from campus two weeks ago, released a scathing statement Friday night refuting the local district. Niagara Falls was in the background. He is a native of Fremont. FBI JOINS SEARCH FOR MISSING VIRGINIA BOY, 2, LURED FROM CHURCH BY UNKNOWN ABDUCTOR, "Our one and only goal in this investigation is to locate Saniyya and reconnect her with her family. Police say her cell phone was later pinged near Goat Island in Niagara Falls, which is why groups have narrowed their search to that area. The family of Saniyya Dennis, a Buffalo State College sophomore who's been missing for over a week, pleaded with authorities and the public to help them in their search. Saniyya Dennis, a Buffalo State College student, has been missing since she was captured on surveillance video leaving her residence hall on April 24. 4, 2023 at 12:11 PM PST | Updated: moments ago. appreciated. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (for youth and family crises): (716) 882-4357. Julia Stevens, with Allies for Black Justice, organized several search parties in recent days focused on Goat Island, where police said Saniyya's phone last pinged at 1:23 a.m. on April 25, WKBWreported. Thank you to all who have assisted in the search to find Saniyya. Buffalo State University Police says. Ive finally had enough.. Several minutes later, her phone left her cellular network. Understandably, emotions are high right now, but I want to be clear that our department will not rest until Saniyya is found.. Why does it take so long to get video footage of buses? She has dark brown hair and brown eyes. Saniyya Dennis, the New York college student who disappeared last month, died by apparent suicide, officials said Thursday. Her family members reported her missing to Buffalo State police on April 26, which prompted a widespread investigation. / CBS News. This story has been shared 106,229 times. Shortly after throwing those personal items away, her bus card was swiped at a nearby bus. Dennis continued to attempt contacting him, and said she was going to kill herself. 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Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Marianne Williamson opens long shot 2024 challenge, Officials provide update on fatal fire, cause still, Fix it! Warning: The content may be triggering. A portion of Rivers Avenue near Hayne Street is blocked off because of the crash . "We combed the whole park, even places where she was nowhere near, putting up flyers," Byrd said on Saturday. Minutes after that, her cell phone left the cellular network, meaning it was either powered off or destroyed. Officials are asking anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact the University Police Department at Buffalo State College. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen on the SUNY Buffalo State College campus on April 24, the University Police Department (UPD) told CNN. Her father, a former member of the Harlem-based hip-hop group The Diplomats,used his social media presenceto get the word out about his daughters disappearance. BUFFALO, N.Y. Family and friends of a missing Buffalo State student are hoping that she is found safely. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. IE 11 is not supported. The family demanded a federal investigation by the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, there is help. 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