The heartbroken parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki now believe she drowned during her spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, according to a report. Konanki's parents who spoke to The New York Post on Tuesday said that they don't suspect any foul play in their daughter's death.
"Both sides of the authorities have shown us how high the ocean waves were at the time of the incident, and both sides of the authorities have clarified the person of interest was not a suspect from the beginning," Subbarayudu Konanki, the missing coed's father, said from the family home in Virginia, as the search for her body continues.
Heartbroken Parents Now Convinced about Death
They also requested that 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, the last person to see Konanki alive, be allowed to leave the Caribbean country, where he has been held as the investigation into her disappearance remains ongoing.
"It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact our daughter has drowned," he said. "This is incredibly difficult for us to process."
Earlier on Tuesday, investigators from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Konanki's hometown law enforcement, said they do not believe Riibe was involved.
On Monday, Riibe's attorney submitted a legal "habeas corpus" petition, arguing that he should be allowed to return to the U.S. since he has not been formally charged with any crime. A court hearing on the request is set to take place later Tuesday.
The family's change of stance comes just a day after Subbarayudu and his wife, SreeDevi, submitted a letter to Dominican authorities, requesting that their 20-year-old daughter be officially declared dead, 12 days after she vanished from a Punta Cana beach while on spring break with friends.
Change of Mind but Surrendering to Their Fate
Konanki's parents had initially pushed for Dominican authorities to widen their investigation into her disappearance and consider the possibility of foul play. The pre-med student from the University of Pittsburgh had checked into the upscale RIU Hotel & Resort on March 3 for spring break but went missing on March 6 following a late-night swim with Riibe.
Her parents expressed that the widespread media coverage has only added to their grief.
"We still have two young children to care for and they're at a very tender age," Subbarayudi Konanki said.
"In light of this, we respectfully request some space, time and privacy to focus on healing and helping our children recover as we try to move forward with our lives."
Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that Dominican authorities may have obtained an arrest warrant and could take Riibe into custody anytime despite not having brought any charges against him so far.
