We're all baffled as to what's going on., Keyora Dennis, Dennis' sister, said this was "not of her nature. 2:18 AM EDT, Mon May 3, 2021. Market data provided by Factset. Wilson Wong. Discovery Company. About an hour after that phone conversation ended, Dennis threw personal items into a garbage can. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Anyone with information about the search for Vandergrift is asked to call SFPD Tip Line at 415-575 . 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. According to the WSP, 49-year-old Denell Kelly . 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That video has not been made public. 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?. He then called her, and they spoke for about 45 minutes. That evening, Dennis and her friend stayed on the phone together for about four hours. All rights reserved. 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. What do the orange, green dots on my iPhone mean? Equally, when she did not return to the campus on Saturday, the school bore a responsibility regarding her safety, the familys statement said. Dennis Family via Buffalo State University Police, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. This is not like her, Dennis sister said at the press conference Friday, CNN affiliate WKBW reported. The 19-year-old was last seen on April 24. Around 1:20 a.m, Dennis texted a male friend and lied, saying she had talked to her mother and was on her way back to Buffalo, he said. A portion of Rivers Avenue near Hayne Street is blocked off because of the crash . It is unconscionable that he presented a speculative narrative as a factual one by calling a national press conference and falsely asserting he shared his findings with the family.. Dennis parents, multiple agencies and local residents had been involved in anearly two-week searchfor the student. All Rights Reserved. With all due respect, a star in the midnight sky is more visible than Saniyya appears in that purported video.. She was last seen April 24 leaving her dorm at Buffalo State College. "Looking at Niagara Falls, the area is just filled with rocks," he said. There is a possibility that we may never find a body, Flynn said, adding that Dennis may gotten caught in the jagged rocks near Niagara Falls. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo . As NBC News reports, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told reporters during a news conference Thursday morning that he believes Dennis, 19, died of suicide. The two remained on the phone for several hours before she later told the male friend she had reconsidered. According to investigators, her boyfriend broke up with her that day. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Crisis Services 24-hour hotline for support: 716-834-3131. May 7, 2021 / 11:13 AM Family and supporters of missing Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis have been looking for leads in the case in Niagara Falls. Wilson Wong is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News Digital. An Illinois college student who was last seen leaving a residence on Friday night has been found dead. ", Saniyya worked two jobs. "We combed the whole park, even places where she was nowhere near, putting up flyers," Byrd said on Saturday. I feel awful for the parents, he said. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo State College more than a week ago on April 24, authorities said. "The dogs came out yesterday, and today they had the helicopter for the search.". 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. Buffalo State remains in close consultation with and is supporting the Dennis family," Carey said in a statement this weekend. 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While authorities have not recovered her body, they believe Dennis died by suicide based on the timeline of her last hours. Shortly after throwing those personal items away, her bus card was swiped at a nearby bus. 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. / CBS News. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, help is available. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 14. Flynn said on the afternoon of April 24, Dennis got into an argument with her boyfriend in New York City over the phone. Efforts to reach Dennis family at phone numbers listed for them were unsuccessful Thursday. NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. On Wednesday community members continued to search for Dennis, a 19-year-old Buffalo State College student. Family said she handed in a school assignment before catching a bus to Niagara Falls. This story has been shared 106,229 times. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? All evidence indicates that Saniyya ended her own life, but the investigation into her disappearance will not be closed until she is found. Julia Stevens went on to say, If Saniyya is out there and shes watching these efforts, if shes in danger or incapacitated we would say dont give up hope, we are leaving no stone unturned. Given these variables and the fact that Saniyyas body has not been discovered, we express great concerns about the handling of this case and the suicide narrative. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen on the SUNY Buffalo State College campus on April 24, the. At 12:19 a.m., the male friend called her and they spoke for 45 minutes, Flynn said. The male friend called Dennis, who picked up and said she was going to jump off a bridge, according to the DA. Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm on April 24. This is not of her nature.. Agencies working the case include: New York State Police, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Clearinghouse, NYS Park Police, City of Buffalo Police, City of Niagara Falls Police, Erie County Sheriffs Office, Erie Crime Analysis Center, Erie County District Attorneys Office, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Police, Niagara Regional Police, Amtrak Police, and the United States Secret Service. 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. Dennis, who is from the Bronx, is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, approximately 125 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. Her father, Calvin Byrd, has since traveled to Niagara Falls to search for his daughter. Also missing is 20-year-old Talia Esther Rosenbloom of Eugene, described as 5'7" tall, weighing 140 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. Saniyya was last seen leaving her dorm on Buffalo States campus on April 24, but her cell phone was later pinged near Goat Island in Niagara Falls. (for youth and family crises): (716) 882-4357. 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Anyone with information that may be of assistance to the investigation is asked to contact Buffalo States University Police Department at (716) 878-6333 or police@buffalostate.edu. . Legal Statement. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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Flynn said investigators will not definitively know what happened to Dennis until her body is found and an autopsy is conducted. Missing Buffalo State student Saniyya Dennis. BUFFALO, N.Y. The family of a Buffalo State College student missing since late April will hold a balloon launch Monday to mark her 20th birthday. She was very focused on her studies, she said. BUFFALO, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- There's a tragic update on a missing college student from the Bronx. "Those of us who met Saniyya know her as a bright honors student and a beautiful young woman with a big heart and a promising future in her field (mechanical engineering technology). Theyve been placing flyers on any available surface and calling for the publics help. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Missing students are rare at Buffalo State. The family accused Buffalo State University, police and Flynns office of not taking Dennis disappearance seriously, including a delay in responding to multiple requests for a wellness check on April 25. His screenshot of her alleged storyline is not dated and has no time, video or chat from her, the family statement said. Understandably, emotions are high right now, but I want to be clear that our department will not rest until Saniyya is found.. "I think time is of the essence When it happens like this, it's a very time sensitive matter.". She was last seen leaving her . University Police has circulated her information statewide to police agencies and hospitals through the New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text a crisis counselor at 741741, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You can watch DA Flynns full news conference below. Carey said during a news conference Friday that investigators have found no cell phone, electronic or financial activity since Dennis disappeared. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Around 1 a.m., Dennis took a Snapchat selfie near the Nikola Tesla monument. Family said Saniyya is an honor student studying mechanical engineering. "Why does it take so long to get subpoenas to cellphone records? 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. Saniyya Dennis, the 19-year-old SUNY Buffalo State College who went missing last month, died by apparent suicide, according to officials. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The family chastised Flynn for putting forth a narrative that was an easy sell without considering alternative scenarios involving foul play. Multiple law enforcement agencies and numerous volunteers were involved in a search for Dennis following her disappearance. They stopped picking up the scent near Goat Island, Flynn said.