New Delhi:
The parents of missing Indian student Sudiksha Konanki want their daughter declared dead to “seek closure”, authorities told CNN.
“It supports the wishes of Ms Konanki’s grieving parents to seek closure in their request that the Dominican law enforcement authorities acknowledge the death of their daughter by accidental drowning,” the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, where Ms Konanki’s family lives, told the outlet.
The final decision rests with Dominican authorities.
Ms Konanki’s body has not been found since she vanished on March 6 from Punta Cana beach in the Dominican Republic. The Konanki family, in a letter obtained by CNN, said that initiating the legal process would help them grieve and address related matters.
Investigators believe their daughter drowned and no criminal evidence has been found so they urged authorities to “proceed with the legal declaration of her death,” they added.
Sheriff Mike Chapman said that while investigators believe Ms Konanki drowned, her death has not been officially confirmed, and the case remains open. Authorities in the Dominican Republic are continuing their investigation, and legal experts note that declaring someone dead without a body is a complex process in the country.
According to attorney Julio Cury, such a declaration would require special approval from Congress or the president.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has offered assistance to the family in navigating the process, including judicial procedures if necessary. Personal injury and criminal defence attorney Phillip DiLucente explained that the family’s request is likely driven by a need for closure. “From a parental position, they want to honour their child and have it be respected,” he said.
A legal declaration of death would also allow the family to settle financial matters, such as college savings plans and insurance policies. Until a death certificate is issued, these remain in legal limbo. If the family were to pursue legal action, the declaration would determine the type of lawsuit and potential damages even though the Konanki family has not indicated any plans to sue.
In an emotional interview with Fox News On Tuesday, Ms Konanki’s father said, “It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact that our daughter has drowned. This is incredibly difficult for us to process,” he said, asking for prayers for their family.
Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, arrived in Punta Cana on March 3 with five of her friends. Surveillance footage shows her drinking at the Riu Republica Hotel bar before heading to the beach with a group, including ‘person of interest’ Joshua Riibe. At 4:15 am, cameras captured the group entering the beach. By 5 am, all but Ms Konanki had returned.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of Mr Riibe, the last person known to have been with Ms Konanki. He was interviewed for over six hours but is not considered a suspect.
During his fourth interview, Mr Riibe described a failed attempt to rescue her after they were pulled by a wave.
On Wednesday, the 22-year-old Iowa resident was released from detention but his passport remains with the authorities. Mr Riibe, a student at St Cloud State University in Minnesota, said the authorities detained him without any formal charges, adding he was treated unfairly during the investigation.
The probe is on and both US and Dominican authorities have classified this as a missing persons case rather than a criminal matter.