Missing student’s parents come to terms with tragedy

The parents of a 20-year-old Indian student, who had gone missing while on vacation in the Dominican Republic, said they are sadly coming to the terms with the fact that their daughter has drowned.

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Sudiksha Konanki is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States. A student at the University of Pittsburgh, Konanki was reported to be vacationing at a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

“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. We kindly ask you to keep our daughter in your prayers,” Konanki’s father Subbarayudu Konanki said, as he read out a statement in front of the media.

As Subbarayudu Konanki read the statement, his wife Sreedevi, broke down, her face in her hands as she cried inconsolably.

Fighting back tears and consoling his wife, Subbarayudu Konanki said, “We still have two young children to care for and they are at a very tender age. In light of this, we respectfully request some space, time and privacy to focus on healing us and helping our children recover as we try to move forward with our lives.”

Loudoun County, Virginia Sheriff Michael Chapman said in a statement on Tuesday that Konanki's disappearance is “tragic” and “we cannot imagine the grief her family has been feeling”.

“We have supported them throughout to ensure a rigorous, wide-ranging investigation. We have also met personally with them and continue to provide emotional support through our Victim Advocate Unit. Sudiksha's family has expressed their belief that she drowned. While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible as we continue to review the evidence and information made available to us in the course of this investigation,” Chapman said, as he thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dominican National Police for their dedication to this investigation and collaboration.