Saniyya Dennis, the New York college student who disappeared last month, died by apparent suicide, officials say.
last month, died by apparent suicide, officials said Thursday. "It appears that this poor girl took her own life," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told reporters during a morning news conference.
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.On the afternoon of April 24, Flynn said Dennis got into an argument with her boyfriend in New York City over the phone. 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. The two remained on the phone for several hours before she later told the male friend that she had reconsidered. About 11 p.m. ET, Dennis was seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo State College. Shortly after she was captured on campus surveillance video leaving her dorm, Flynn said 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." It was unclear what the personal items were. According to the DA, video from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority showed she rode two different buses going toward Niagara Falls. She was by herself. 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. Around 12:18 a.m., the male friend warned in a text that he would call police if she did not call him in 30 seconds. The male friend called Dennis, who picked up and said that she was going to jump off a bridge, according to the DA. After talking for about an hour, Dennis later told him that she was on the bus returning home, which, according to phone records, the DA said was not true. Investigators said her cellphone left the network on about 1:20 a.m. April 25, which means that it was either destroyed or powered off. The male friend and Dennis' boyfriend did not immediately report her suspected disappearance, according to the DA. Her family members reported her missing to Buffalo State Police on April 26, which prompted a widespread investigation. Multiple law enforcement agencies and numerous volunteers were involved in a search for Dennis following her disappearance. Dogs were trained to pick up her scent. They stopped picking up the scent near Goat Island, Flynn said.He added authorities may never find her body because of the rocks below the area where Saniyya’s scent was last picked up. "There is a possibility that if we believe what happened happened, we may never find her body," he said."That's a possibility."Efforts to reach Dennis’ family at phone numbers listed for them were unsuccessful Thursday.last Friday, Dennis’ family members said it was uncharacteristic of her to suddenly disappear. "My daughter is a Black honor roll student at the college and has no tendency of doing nothing,” said Calvin Byrd, Dennis’ father. “We're all baffled as to what's going on.”“Saniyya worked two jobs. She was a mechanical engineer major. She was very focused on her studies,” Keyora, her sister, said."She was a good friend. A good person. She has a good heart.”If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Les Dennis hits back at accusations he was racist while hosting Family FortunesLes Dennis has spoken out following a video appearing on Youtube which accuses him of making 'racist' jokes whilst fronting the game show
Read more »
Jodi Shaw says Smith College students called police on her during weekend visitA former Smith College employee who resigned in February following allegations that the school was a 'racially hostile environment' is now claiming that two of its students called campus police on her during a visit to the Massachusetts institution over the weekend.
Read more »
Saniyya Dennis, missing Buffalo State College student, took her own life, DA saysThe 19-year-old was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo State College on April 24, authorities said.
Read more »