The investigation found no evidence of criminality in the case. 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. Dogs were trained to pick up her scent. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Bloodhounds later picked up the teens scent during an April 30 search on and around Goat Island, Flynn said, where she was seen on video early April 25. Ivy Marie Gilbert added, posting it on Facebook is absolutely helpful and stuff but being local, its really helpful to actually get out here and do it.. While authorities have not recovered her body, they believe Dennis died by suicide based on the timeline of her last hours. However, cellphone records showed that to not be true. 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, Dennis family said on Friday they do not agree with Flynns narrative that she died by suicide and accused the district attorney of sharing details of her case without conferring with them first. (Buffalo State College) Her. Family said she handed in a school assignment before catching a bus to Niagara Falls. Published: Mar. University Police first reported her disappearance on Wednesday and posted her picture on its website and social media pages. JSCO says if you see the vehicle or the missing women, then please call or text 911, and any information about their whereabouts should go to ECSO Dispatch at 541-776-7206. Efforts to reach Dennis family at phone numbers listed for them were unsuccessful Thursday. ", Saniyya worked two jobs. Several minutes later, her phone left her cellular network. A ping from her cellphone was detected aboute two hours later inNiagara Falls State Park, 17 miles from campus. Dennis texted her mother at Niagara Falls, telling her she would call her the next day, but also sent a message to a friend indicating she wouldnt see him this coming summer, Flynn said. Later that day, in another conversation with a male friend in New York City, she said she was planning to die by suicide, Flynn said. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! University Police is working with police agencies at the local, stateand federal level, Carey said. I also want to thank the Buffalo State community, members of the media, and residents from Western New York and beyond who have participated in the search and shared information about her case., Buffalo State Counseling Center: (716) 878-4436, Employee Assistance Program (EAP): (716) 878-6699, Reach Out SUNY NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline: 1-844-863-9314, SUNY Crisis Text Line: Text GOT5U to 741-741, Crisis Services of Buffalo (24/7): (716) 834-3131, Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK), option 1, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK), Spectrum Health & Human Services: (716) 710-5172, C.A.R.E.S. Missing SUNY Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis. Im so done with my own life, and living it, the text read, according to WIVB. During a news conference on Friday, Dennis family members said it was uncharacteristic of her to suddenly disappear. No all I can do is present you everything I have.. We've received your submission. She has a good heart.. 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. Saniyya Dennis disappeared from SUNY Buffalo State College on April 24, officials said. In that conversation, Dennis said she was going to jump off a bridge. Saturday, the search for her continued, with family and friends again canvassing Niagara Falls State Park and the surrounding area. A Pennsylvania woman who has been missing for more than 30 years is found alive in an adult care home in Puerto Rico. "I think time is of the essence When it happens like this, it's a very time sensitive matter.". The male friend called Dennis, who picked up and said she was going to jump off a bridge, according to the DA. "I can't leave if I didn't say I looked at every inch of this park," he told "Good Morning America." 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. Minutes after that text, her cellphone left the cellular network, meaning it was either powered off or destroyed, according to officials. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The body, believed to be that of a missing Buffalo State College student, was found in a shallow grave Friday morning in a wooded area near Snow's Marina on the Lake Erie shoreline, police said . If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, there is help. Dennis, 19, was last . "Why does it take so long to get subpoenas to cellphone records? "If what I believe happened, happened, we may never find the body. "Looking at Niagara Falls, the area is just filled with rocks," he said. (for youth and family crises): (716) 882-4357. / CBS News. We're all baffled as to what's going on., Keyora Dennis, Dennis' sister, said this was "not of her nature. I feel awful for the parents, he said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. ET, Dennis was seen leaving her dorm room at State University of New York College at Buffalo. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. appreciated. 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. Her cellphone last pinged on April 25 at 1:23 a.m. in the area of Goat Island in Niagara Falls State Park, police said. The family also raised issues with the Snapchat post Flynn referenced and suggested it could have been doctored. He added authorities may never find her body because of the rocks below the area where her scent was last picked up. 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. 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. Investigators later revealed that Dennis' phone pinged off of a cell tower near Niagara Falls State Park around 1:23 a.m. April 25. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Buffalo State remains in close consultation with and is supporting the Dennis family," Carey said in a statement this weekend. I feel awful that I dont have a conclusion, obviously.. Vandergrift is a radio host for Wild 94.9, where Yi is a host as well. Flynn said Dennis was troubled by the breakup and later contacted another male friend in New York City, also telling him she had planned to commit suicide. "Temple's current leadership has consistently treated it as a PR problem first, safety second, and I think they have their priorities backward," said Brian Hart, a 2012 Temple graduate. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Katherine Conway-Turner, the president of Buffalo State College, expressed her support to Dennis' friends and family on Thursday. Desperate for any leads, her dad, also known as rapper 40 Cal,offered a cash rewardin a caption of one of his Instagram posts. University Police has circulated her information statewide to police agencies and hospitals through the New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse. Missing Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis is believed to have taken her own life. 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. Authorities and volunteer search teams are still franticly searching for 19-year-old Saniyya Dennis. or redistributed. "We combed the whole park, even places where she was nowhere near, putting up flyers," Byrd said on Saturday. 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. Missing students are rare at Buffalo State. 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. Equally, when she did not return to the campus on Saturday, the school bore a responsibility regarding her safety, the familys statement said. The two remained on the phone for several hours before she later told the male friend she had reconsidered. "It appears that this poor [] At 12:19 a.m., the male friend called her and they spoke for 45 minutes, Flynn said. In that conversation, she had said she was reconsidering what she said about suicide, and was feeling better than she was earlier. Her boyfriend was in New York City the entire time, and is not considered a suspect in her disappearance. Published 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 attorneys assertion that the Bronx teen died by suicide. Missing Bronx college student Saniyya Dennis (family/officials), by: Lauren Cook, Evan Anstey/WIVB, Mark Sundstrom. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, help is available. Buffalo State Police said it obtained surveillance footage of Saniyya at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) bus terminal in downtown Buffalo, WGRZ reported. Phillys zombie drug tranq already in NYC, How to report no heat in NYC: Resources for tenants, Rising rent in NYC: Heres what tenants need to know, Suicide prevention and mental health resources, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. That evening, Dennis and her friend stayed on the phone together for about four hours. @DAErieCountyNY says #saniyyadennis parents are unaccepting their daughter committed suicide. The 19-year-old was last seen leaving her dorm room at SUNY Buffalo State College on April 24, authorities said. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Wilson Wong is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News Digital. Erie Countys Crisis Hotline is available 24 hours a day: 716-834-3131. Saniyya Dennis, 19, is a sophomore who was. This is not of her nature.. 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. The family of a SUNY Buffalo State College student who has been missing since Saturday, April 24 is asking the public for help in finding her. 4, 2023 at 12:11 PM PST | Updated: moments ago. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The case of a missing Buffalo State student continues, it's been more than a week since Saniyya Dennis was last seen. 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. 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. "That's a possibility.". Dennis, of Bronx, New York, is a college sophomore. Saniyya Dennis is seen in this undated released by Buffalo State University Police to help locate, on May 1, 2021. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Around Midnight, Dennis texted her mother, telling her she loves her and that shell call her the next day. Market data provided by Factset. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. It is impossible to prove the photo or image is of a person. 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. Officials are asking anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact the University Police Department at Buffalo State College. For nearly two weeks, search parties have combed through Niagara Falls in the hopes of finding Saniyya Dennis. 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. Thats where a search party gathered early Wednesday evening in the latest hopes to find the young woman. 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! Family is offering a $10,000 reward for information about missing 19-year-old Buffalo StateCollegestudent Saniyya Dennis, as searches conducted near Niagara Falls in upstate New York over the weekend turned up empty more than one week after her disappearance. Despite the evidence, the DA said the search for Dennis will continue. Saniyya Dennis,. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, CNN Authorities are searching for a New York college sophomore who disappeared over a week ago. The 19-year-old was last seen leaving her dorm late at night on April 24 after having an argument with her boyfriend earlier in the day that led him to break up with her, Flynn said. Dennis Family via Buffalo State University Police, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo . 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. Authorities are searching for a New York college sophomore who disappeared over a week ago. The family chastised Flynn for putting forth a narrative that was an easy sell without considering alternative scenarios involving foul play. After trying to contact him 59 times to no avail, she called another male friend in New York City and talked about killing herself, the DA said. This story has been shared 167,794 times. Family said Saniyya is an honor student studying mechanical engineering. "My mother always says shes a creature of habit When she comes to visit my mother in the city or comes to visit our family she lets her know when shes running late or lets her know who shes going to be with, what time she expects to be home.". 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. Moose on the Loose: Battle to become Yankees shortstop, Activist killed in police-involved shooting, Rep. George Santos introduced his first bill in Congress, Pop-up grocery store opens in Greenwich Village, Expert raises awareness about eating disorders, NY Rep. Dan Goldman talks House ethics probe into, What to know about teens and their mental health, Read Across America Day kicks off at NYC bookstore, Womens History Month: Highlighting women in medicine. Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. She was by herself. 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. Milford . Saniyya Dennis, 19, has been missing since Saturday night. Her father, Calvin Byrd, has since traveled to Niagara Falls to search for his daughter. 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. Odd, Flynn held his conference days before Mothers Day without any regard for the Dennis family, the statement said. 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. Why does it take so long to get video footage of buses? 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. 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. Clothing items, a cell phone was found, a bracelet was found all of these could be the utmost importance because we have absolutely no information on what happened to Saniyya Dennis, added Stevens. During a news conference Friday, Dennis' family criticized police for not moving fast enough and stalling a search party. 2. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Buffalo State student is still missing, a week after she was last seen on campus. His screenshot of her alleged storyline is not dated and has no time, video or chat from her, the family statement said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. At this time, we believe that Saniyya traveled alone from the Buffalo State College campus by NFTA bus to Niagara Falls State Park where the evidence suggests that she took her own life during the early morning hours of Sunday, April 25, 2021. What do the orange, green dots on my iPhone mean? She was last seen. Investigators believe that she may need medical attention and may still be in the western New York area or may have traveled to Yonkers, New York, just north of New York City. 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?. Multiple agencies have been involved in the search for Dennis, and the search will continue until shes found. A 19-year-old SUNY Buffalo State College sophomore has been missing for more than a week, according to the university and her family. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. It was unclear what the personal items were. Thank you to all who have assisted in the search to find Saniyya. 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. 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. Saniyya Dennis, a. Flynn said on the afternoon of April 24, Dennis got into an argument with her boyfriend in New York City over the phone. Authorities are continuing their search for a missing New York college student who disappeared more than a week ago. Saniyya Dennis, a Buffalo State College student, has been missing since she was captured on surveillance video leaving her residence hall on April 24. Please enter valid email address to continue. She then sent a text telling him she planned to kill herself, Flynn said. 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. "We want to make sure that her face is everywhere," Stevens told ABC Buffalo affiliate WKBW, "that everywhere you go in Niagara Falls you know to look out for this girl.".