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. 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! If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts,click here for resources. 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. All Rights Reserved. Upon careful review and consideration of the allegations presented by District Attorney Flynn regarding the issues surrounding the disappearance of Saniyya Dennis, we respectfully disagree with his presentation and were shocked by his assertion that he shared information with our family regarding her disappearance and his findings of suicide.. Legal Statement. 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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. This story has been shared 106,229 times. This story has been shared 167,794 times. 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. "We've never had a missing person case such as this we're experiencing now with Ms. Dennis," Carey said. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - North Charleston Police are responding to a crash with serious injuries Saturday afternoon. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A firefighter died inside a burning commercial building in downtown Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday, where a fire and sudden blast sent flames and smoke billowing into the street . I commend SUNY Buffalo State College, Buffalo State College University Police, New York State Park Police, Niagara Frontier Transit Authority Police, New York State Police, Mayor Byron Brown, Buffalo Police Department, Niagara County Sheriffs Office, Niagara Regional Police, New York Police Department, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies who have dedicated their time and resources to this ongoing investigation. Mayor Brown meets with the family of missing Buffalo State student Around Midnight, Dennis texted her mother, telling her she loves her and that shell call her the next day. Niagara Falls was in the background. Dennis called her boyfriend, who was in New York City at the time, 59 times in the next several hours, but he didnt pick up. John Flynn, the district attorney in Erie County, said officials have not discovered the body of 19-year-old Saniyya Dennis but said "evidence suggests" she took her own life. She has dark brown hair and brown eyes. That evening, Dennis and her friend stayed on the phone together for about four hours. "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). Carey said during a news conference Friday that investigators have found no cell phone, electronic or financial activity since Dennis disappeared. In a statement released earlier in the week, Buff State President Katherine Conway-Turner called Saniyya a lovely young woman with a bright future ahead. Dogs were trained to pick up her scent. "Understandably, emotions are high right now, but I want to be clear that our department will not rest until Saniyya is found. She will forever be a member of our Buffalo State family," Conway-Turner added. Missing NY college student: $10K reward offered after Niagara Falls 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. Buffalo firefighter dies while battling downtown blaze - ABC News Buffalo State College Police Chief Peter Carey, told reporters that a K-9 search took place Friday afternoon and due to weather conditions they could not fly a helicopter to help with the search. 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. A 19-year-old SUNY Buffalo State College sophomore has been missing for more than a week, according to the university and her family. Officials. Saniyya Dennis, 19, has been missing since Saturday night. 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. Saniyya Dennis, the 19-year-old SUNY Buffalo State College who went missing last month, died by apparent suicide, according to officials. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Buffalo State student is still missing, a week after she was last seen on campus. She attempted to call him 59 and talked about killing herself, Flynn said. "That's a possibility.". IE 11 is not supported. My office and our partners in law enforcement have found no evidence of any criminality in this case. Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm on April 24. HANAHAN, S.C. (WCSC) - Police in Hanahan are searching for a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing on Tuesday. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. @DAErieCountyNY says #saniyyadennis parents are unaccepting their daughter committed suicide. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. appreciated. What do the orange, green dots on my iPhone mean? 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. Information can also be shared through the University Police anonymous tip line at (716) 878-3166, or by calling the NYS Missing Persons Clearinghouse at (800) 346-3543. 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. "It appears that this poor [] "The dogs came out yesterday, and today they had the helicopter for the search.". 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 is not of her nature," Saniyyas sister, Keyora Dennis, said at a recent press conference Friday. Published: Mar. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Thursday morning, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn provided an update on the disappearance of Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis. They asked Flynn not to use to words committed suicide. He slept on it and chose to say Saniyya took her own life.. The 19-year-old Buff State sophomore was last seen leaving an elevator in her dorm building the night of April 24. "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.". She was a mechanical engineer major. Efforts to reach Dennis family at phone numbers listed for them were unsuccessful Thursday. Saniyya Dennis: Missing Buffalo State college student from the Bronx Saturday, the search for her continued, with family and friends again canvassing. Saniyya, originally from the Bronx in New York City, is described as a Black female who is 5-foot-3,weighs about125 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. Dennis, of Bronx, New York, is a college sophomore. Authorities are continuing their search for a missing New York college student who disappeared more than a week ago. Flynn said he provided details of the investigation to Dennis parents Wednesday. Buffalo State remains in close consultation with and is supporting the Dennis family," Carey said in a statement this weekend. "If what I believe happened, happened, we may never find the body. Missing Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis is believed to have taken her own life. Around 1 a.m., Dennis took a Snapchat selfie near the Nikola Tesla monument. 4, 2023 at 12:11 PM PST | Updated: moments ago. She was last seen April 24 leaving her dorm at Buffalo State College. Investigators later revealed that Dennis' phone pinged off of a cell tower near Niagara Falls State Park around 1:23 a.m. April 25. Wilson Wong is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News Digital. 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. There exists no evidence that it came from Saniyya A person named Keith K posted it via social media days later. Dennis parents, multiple agencies and local residents had been involved in anearly two-week searchfor the student. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. University Police first reported her disappearance on Wednesday and posted her picture on its website and social media pages. These dismissive acts caused victim blaming and shaming. Missing Buff State student sought in Falls - Niagara Gazette If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, help is available. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Missing woman found alive after more than 30 years; family reacts This was around 11 p.m. According to the DA, video from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority showed she rode two different buses going toward Niagara Falls. With all due respect, a star in the midnight sky is more visible than Saniyya appears in that purported video.. 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. Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Her family told police she may be in the Stall Road area, the Hawthorn Suites on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston or . 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. Dennis, 19, was. The Buffalo State College sophomore was last seen leaving her dorm room on April 24th, but. But Flynn says her body may not be able to be recovered. While authorities have not recovered her body, they believe Dennis died by suicide based on the timeline of her last hours. Saniyya was last seen leaving her dorm. February 28, 2023. Missing Buffalo State College student presumed dead: DA - New York Post Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Dennis was last seen on New York State Park Police cameras shortly after midnight walking toward Goat Island, where her phone last pinged, Flynn said. Missing Hopkinton teen found dead in Milford woods Officials are asking anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact the University Police Department at Buffalo State College. 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. On the first bus, Flynn said Dennis was alone, but she eventually got onto another bus and got off at a stop near the Niagara Falls Visitor Center. Anyone with information about the search for Vandergrift is asked to call SFPD Tip Line at 415-575 . "Looking at Niagara Falls, the area is just filled with rocks," he said. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. She then sent a text telling him she planned to kill herself, Flynn said. Dennis, 19, was last seen on April 24 leaving her residence hall around 11:30 p.m., according to University Police. Missing SUNY Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis. "Why does it take so long to get subpoenas to cellphone records? Authorities in New York believe that a missing Buffalo State University sophomore took her own life, but investigators have not found Saniyya Dennis' body. 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. "This is not like her. CNN Authorities are searching for a New York college sophomore who disappeared over a week ago. 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. Missing College Student Was Found Slain After Telling Mom on Phone She Woman'S Body Found in Woods May Be Buffalo State Student U.S. news Saniyya Dennis, missing Buffalo State College student, took her own life, DA says The 19-year-old was last seen leaving her dorm room at SUNY Buffalo State College on April 24,. 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. 2:18 AM EDT, Mon May 3, 2021. All rights reserved. In that conversation, she had said she was reconsidering what she said about suicide, and was feeling better than she was earlier. DA: Missing Buff State student appears to have died of suicide Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Investigators initially said Dennis may have been in the Western New York area or traveled to Yonkers, just north of the Bronx. "My daughter is a Black honor roll student at the college and has no tendency of doing nothing, Calvin Byrd, Dennis father, said. Buffalo State University Police says. May 7, 2021 / 11:13 AM Multiple agencies have been involved in the search for Dennis, and the search will continue until shes found. College student from Bronx missing from Buffalo State - ABC7 New York 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. Just before the news conference ended, the police acknowledged they had security video from the bus depot that showed Dennis and they were only able to get her cellphone records on April 27. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Saniyya Dennis,. We're all baffled as to what's going on., Keyora Dennis, Dennis' sister, said this was "not of her nature. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Prosecutors say it appears 19-year-old Saniya Dennis took her own life.