The parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki said through tears Tuesday they believe she has drowned.
“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,” said the student’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki. He spoke to media gathered in front of his Virginia home Tuesday, stopping several times to console his wife.
It’s been almost two weeks since the Pitt student disappeared while on a spring break trip in the Dominican Republic.
Sudiksha’s mother SreeDevi Konanki turned away crying and covered her face with her hands while her husband read a statement. He placed his arm around her and continued to read.
“It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact our daughter has drowned,” Subbarayudu Konanki said. “This is incredibly difficult for us to process. We kindly ask you to keep our daughter in your prayers.”
He asked for privacy as he and his wife help their other children recover.
“We still have two young children to care for, and they’re at a very tender age,” Subbarayudu 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.”
On Monday night, the family had asked authorities in the Dominican Republic to declare her deceased, a police spokesman said.
The student’s family communicated their request in a letter, according to Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira, via NBC News.
In the letter, Sudiksha’s parents said they trust the authorities’ investigation.
Her parents added that Joshua Riibe, the last person investigators believe saw Sudiksha, is cooperating with the investigation and acknowledged there is no evidence of foul play. The family is prepared to comply with any necessary formalities or documentation.
Authorities have interviewed people who were with Konanki before she vanished, including Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud University in Minnesota.
Dominican officials told ABC News on Sunday authorities had confiscated the passport of Riibe, 22. He also was reportedly questioned extensively.
Riibe had been detained by Dominican police and is believed to be the last person to see Konanki. He has not been named as a suspect.
On Tuesday, a judge ordered Riibe’s release, saying he can cooperate with authorities without being detained.
Riibe had appeared in court Tuesday afternoon following a request from his attorney that he be released. His lawyers told ABC News they believe Riibe had been detained illegally.
“All parties say that he has cooperated in everything that has been asked of him,” Judge Edwin Rijo said, adding that Riibe is a witness and as such, cannot be detained.
“I really want to be able to go home and talk to my family, give them hugs,” Riibe told the judge via a translator. “I understand that I’m here to help. I’ve done that. It’s been 10 days.”
In their letter, the Konankis wrote that “the individual” last seen with their daughter is cooperating and that no evidence of foul play has been found.
According to a transcript obtained by ABC News, Riibe told prosecutors he and Sudiksha met the night before she disappeared. He said they were drinking with friends before heading to the beach on their own about 4 a.m.
Sudiksha was last seen at the Hotel Riu Republica.
Video surveillance cameras captured her, five other women and two men heading to a nearby beach about 4:15 a.m. March 6, CNN reports. When the others returned just before 5 a.m., Sudiksha and Riibe were not in the group, CNN said, citing two sources close to the investigation.
Riibe told authorities he and Sudiksha, 20, kissed in the ocean right before they were both hit by a large wave. He said he tried to pull Sudiksha out of the water as he sought safety ashore.
He said when they were in knee-deep water, he let Sudiksha go and she walked away to get her things from the sand. Riibe said he began to vomit after the amount of water he took in. He then said he fell asleep on the beach.
Riibe was seen with investigators and claimed to be helping them with the investigation, according to reports.
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