Tue Mar 11 02:16:11 UTC 2025: ## Missing U.S. Student’s Father Urges Wider Dominican Republic Investigation
**SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic** – The father of Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student missing in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has called on authorities to expand their investigation beyond the presumed drowning. Konanki, a U.S. permanent resident from Virginia, vanished before dawn on March 6th while on spring break with friends.
While Dominican authorities are currently searching the waters using drones, helicopters, and dogs, based on a friend’s account of her being swept away by waves, Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, expressed concerns. He points to the fact that his daughter’s belongings, including her phone and wallet, were left with her friends—unusual behavior for her. This, coupled with the lack of a body despite a four-day search, led him to file a complaint requesting an investigation into the possibility of kidnapping or foul play.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the University of Pittsburgh, and federal officials are collaborating with Dominican authorities on the investigation. The university has offered its support to the family. Konanki’s parents flew to Punta Cana upon learning of her disappearance. The family friend who traveled with them also filed a complaint. The investigation continues.
First Piper 