CNN Authorities are searching for a New York college sophomore who disappeared over a week ago. Wilson Wong is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News Digital. Ive finally had enough.. Police search for missing Buffalo State College student "If what I believe happened, happened, we may never find the body. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. A large group of volunteers searched for Dennis over the weekend at Niagara Falls State Park near Goat Island, where police said her phone last pinged, the station reported. "It appears that this poor [] Missing Buffalo State student Saniyya Dennis. Buffalo State Police said it obtained surveillance footage of Saniyya at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) bus terminal in downtown Buffalo, WGRZ reported. The teen spent hours on the phone with Dennis and talked her down from her plan at one point, but she apparently followed through on her threat after hopping on a bus to the Niagara Falls Visitor Center. 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. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen on the SUNY Buffalo State College campus on April 24, the University Police Department (UPD) told CNN. Saniyya Dennis, a Buffalo State College student, has been missing since she was captured on surveillance video leaving her residence hall on April 24. 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! Agencies working the case include: New York State Police, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Clearinghouse, NYS Park Police, City of Buffalo Police, City of Niagara Falls Police, Erie County Sheriffs Office, Erie Crime Analysis Center, Erie County District Attorneys Office, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Police, Niagara Regional Police, Amtrak Police, and the United States Secret Service. They asked Flynn not to use to words committed suicide. He slept on it and chose to say Saniyya took her own life.. Around 1 a.m., Dennis took a Snapchat selfie near the Nikola Tesla monument. But Flynn says her body may not be able to be recovered. Saniyya Dennis, a 19-year-old sophomore from the Bronx, was last seen leaving her college dorm on April 24. The statement challenged or refuted more than a dozen assertions laid out by Flynn during his news conference. Understandably, emotions are high right now, but I want to be clear that our department will not rest until Saniyya is found," Carey said in an updated statementreleased Saturday, after family expressed frustration about the pace of the investigation. It appears this poor girl took her own life, Flynn says. "I would ask that our campus and Western New York community keep her family in your thoughts," she said in a statement. A ping from her cellphone was detected aboute two hours later inNiagara Falls State Park, 17 miles from campus. Calvin Byrd, Dennis' father, told NBC affiliate WGRZ that the experience was a "nightmare.". Mycalia Raine Wilson was last seen at approximately 11:35 p.m. on Tuesday night at the family home, police said. The family told reporters that they were alerted by one of Dennis' friends that she may have gotten on a bus to Niagara Park. She also spoke about dying by suicide with a male friend, he added. There has been no cellphone electronic activity since then and no financial activity or other communication with family or friends, Buffalo State Police Chief Peter Carey said. Legal Statement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. UPD and campus officials are in close consultation with Saniyyas family and are providing support during this difficult time, the campus police department said. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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All Rights Reserved. It is impossible to prove the photo or image is of a person. Prosecutors say it appears 19-year-old Saniya Dennis took her own life. Saniyya Dennis: Missing Buffalo State college student from the Bronx BUFFALO, N.Y. The family of a Buffalo State College student missing since late April will hold a balloon launch Monday to mark her 20th birthday. Her boyfriend was in New York City the entire time, and is not considered a suspect in her disappearance. "I think time is of the essence When it happens like this, it's a very time sensitive matter.". 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May 3 (UPI) --Local, federal and collegiate authorities are ramping up efforts to find a student from New York state who's now been missing for more than a week, officials said Monday.Buffalo . "Why does it take so long to get subpoenas to cellphone records? Dennis had not been in contact with her family, according to Carey. Im so done with my own life, and living it, the text read, according to WIVB. A Warner Bros. A portion of Rivers Avenue near Hayne Street is blocked off because of the crash . "An exhaustive search and review of the evidence has been done and it appears that this poor girl took her own life," Flynn said in a news conference Thursday morning. My thoughts and prayers remain with Saniyyas family and friends during this difficult time. The 19-year-old was last seen on April 24. They stopped picking up the scent near Goat Island, Flynn said. Investigators said her cellphone left the network about 1:20 a.m. April 25, which means it was either destroyed or powered off. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The Buffalo State College sophomore was last seen leaving her dorm room on April 24th, but. Flynn said all of this information had been communicated to Dennis parents on Wednesday afternoon. In the meantime, the family of Saniyya Dennis has traveled to Buffalo from New York City, and expressed their frustration Friday over the investigation so far. Buffalo State remains in close consultation with and is supporting the Dennis family," Carey said in a statement this weekend. University Police said it is working with the family and several other agencies in its search, including the City of Niagara Falls Police, Erie County Sheriffs Office and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Police. 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. If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts,click here for resources. "It appears that this poor girl took her own life," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told reporters during a morning news conference. BUFFALO, N.Y. Nearly two weeks after the disappearance of Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis, officials announced Thursday they believe the Bronx teen might have taken her own. 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. (Buffalo State College) Her. Missing Buffalo State student's parents 'very concerned' about their Published: Mar. Dogs were trained to pick up her scent. Minutes after that, her cell phone left the cellular network, meaning it was either powered off or destroyed. Family said she handed in a school assignment before catching a bus to Niagara Falls. Family Intensifies Search For Missing Buffalo State Honor Student Missing SUNY Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis. His screenshot of her alleged storyline is not dated and has no time, video or chat from her, the family statement said. 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. . NFTA, Buffalo State Police not releasing NFTA video of Saniyya - WGRZ Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo State College more than a week ago on April 24, authorities said. Katherine Conway-Turner, the president of Buffalo State College, expressed her support to Dennis' friends and family on Thursday. Flynn said she got into an argument with her boyfriend, which ended with him breaking up with her. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. (Buffalo State College). Missing NY college student: $10K reward offered after Niagara Falls Anyone with information is asked to contact (716) 878-6333. pic.twitter.com/9saaPYPeOv. 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. Hours later, Dennis told a friend she was going to jump off a bridge and took a selfie with Niagara Falls in the background. The 19-year-old Buff State sophomore was last seen leaving an elevator in her dorm building the night of April 24. Buffalo State University and its police did not perform a wellness check until almost two calendar days after Saniyyas disappearance and more than a business day after our formal request. The family demanded a federal investigation by the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. About an hour after that phone conversation ended, Dennis threw personal items into a garbage can. FIRST ALERT: N. Charleston Police respond to crash near Trident Tech Dennis, a sophomore at Buffalo State College, disappeared after leaving her dorm on April 24. After talking for about an hour, Dennis later told him she was on the bus returning home, which, according to phone records, the DA said was not true. A 19-year-old SUNY Buffalo State College sophomore has been missing for more than a week, according to the university and her family. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Investigators initially said Dennis may have been in the Western New York area or traveled to Yonkers, just north of the Bronx. 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. We're all baffled as to what's going on., Keyora Dennis, Dennis' sister, said this was "not of her nature. The 19-year-old was last seen leaving her dorm room at SUNY Buffalo State College on April 24, authorities said. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Buffalo State student is still missing, a week after she was last seen on campus. "I understand the desire for new details about this case is high, but to ensure the integrity of this multi-agency investigation, we are limited in our ability to share further information at this time.". "She was a good friend, a good person. "There is a possibility that if we believe what happened happened, we may never find her body," he said. Saniyya Dennis, the 19-year-old SUNY Buffalo State College who went missing last month, died by apparent suicide, according to officials. Desperate for any leads, her dad, also known as rapper 40 Cal,offered a cash rewardin a caption of one of his Instagram posts. She was last seen. University Police first reported her disappearance on Wednesday and posted her picture on its website and social media pages. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Saniyya Dennis was last seen on April 24. February 28, 2023. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. These dismissive acts caused victim blaming and shaming. This is not of her nature," Saniyyas sister, Keyora Dennis, said at a recent press conference Friday. Market data provided by Factset. 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.. Saniyya Dennis, 19, was last seen leaving her dorm room at the SUNY Buffalo . A college sophomore, Dennis was last seen leaving her dorm on April 24. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - North Charleston Police are responding to a crash with serious injuries Saturday afternoon. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text a crisis counselor at 741741, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org. According to the DA, video from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority showed she rode two different buses going toward Niagara Falls. The body, believed to be that of a missing Buffalo State College student, was found in a shallow grave Friday morning in a wooded area near Snow's Marina on the Lake Erie shoreline, police said . Her father, Calvin Byrd, has since traveled to Niagara Falls to search for his daughter. Understandably, emotions are high right now, but I want to be clear that our department will not rest until Saniyya is found.. Investigators believe that she may need medical attention and may still be in the western New York area or may have traveled to Yonkers, New York, just north of New York City. Authorities are continuing their search for a missing New York college student who disappeared more than a week ago. Updated: 11:33 PM EDT May 3, 2021 BUFFALO, N.Y. 2 On Your Side continues to ask the tough questions on the search for Saniyya Dennis, the missing Buffalo State student who hasn't been. University police are continuing to ask anyone with information to come forward, and Saniyyas family has since offered a $10,000 reward for anything that could help bring her home. NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. On Wednesday community members continued to search for Dennis, a 19-year-old Buffalo State College student. Saniyya Dennis: Search for missing Buffalo college student ongoing If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. Dennis continued to attempt contacting him, and said she was going to kill herself. Saniyya was last seen leaving her dorm on Buffalo States campus on April 24, but her cell phone was later pinged near Goat Island in Niagara Falls. Clothing items, a cell phone was found, a bracelet was found all of these could be the utmost importance because we have absolutely no information on what happened to Saniyya Dennis, added Stevens. 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 . Updated: 9:14 AM EDT May 6, 2021. 4, 2023 at 12:11 PM PST | Updated: moments ago. The family also raised issues with the Snapchat post Flynn referenced and suggested it could have been doctored. Moose on the Loose: Battle to become Yankees shortstop, Activist killed in police-involved shooting, Rep. George Santos introduced his first bill in Congress, Pop-up grocery store opens in Greenwich Village, Expert raises awareness about eating disorders, NY Rep. Dan Goldman talks House ethics probe into, What to know about teens and their mental health, Read Across America Day kicks off at NYC bookstore, Womens History Month: Highlighting women in medicine. No evidence of foul play was immediately detected, the University Police Department (UPD) at Buffalo State College said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Family and supporters of missing Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis have been looking for leads in the case in Niagara Falls. Some are going to say without a body, do youdefinitelyknow that she took her own life? Flynn continued. Flynn said Dennis was troubled by the breakup and later contacted another male friend in New York City, also telling him she had planned to commit suicide. 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. Dennis, who is from the Bronx, is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, approximately 125 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. Flynn said on the afternoon of April 24, Dennis got into an argument with her boyfriend in New York City over the phone. College student from Bronx missing from Buffalo State - ABC7 New York Dennis Family via Buffalo State University Police, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Authorities are continuing their search for a missing New York college student who disappeared more than a week ago. Vandergrift is a radio host for Wild 94.9, where Yi is a host as well. All Rights Reserved. "The dogs came out yesterday, and today they had the helicopter for the search.". Milford . 2:18 AM EDT, Mon May 3, 2021. Odd, Flynn held his conference days before Mothers Day without any regard for the Dennis family, the statement said. M issing for over a week, family and friends continue to search for 19-year-old Buffalo State student Saniyya Dennis. She was then spotted by park cameras along a trail at 12:17 a.m. on April 25 Flynn said this was the last time she was seen on video. "Understandably, emotions are high right now, but I want to be clear that our department will not rest until Saniyya is found.". Shortly after, Flynn said, she was captured on campus surveillance video leaving her dorm. During a news conference on Friday, Dennis family members said it was uncharacteristic of her to suddenly disappear. (Courtesy Dennis family) Flynn said on the afternoon of April 24, Dennis got into an argument with her boyfriend in New York City. NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) People in Western New York are not giving up their search for Saniyya Dennis, the college student who went missing last week. Parents of missing Buffalo State student 'very concerned' about - MSN About 20 minutes later, she texted a male friend, telling him that she spoke with her mom and was on her way back to Buffalo. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Authorities are continuing their search for a missing New York college student who disappeared more than a week ago. WSP seeks help finding missing Indigenous woman considered to be at-risk Dennis, 19, was. This story has been shared 167,794 times. Buffalo firefighter dies while battling downtown blaze - ABC News "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). Dennis, of Bronx, New York, is a college sophomore. Julia Stevens, who is part of the activist group, Allies for Black Justice, led a search party Friday and distributed posters around the area of the park where the cellphone ping took place. No all I can do is present you everything I have.. Missing Buffalo State Student Saniya Dennis Appears To Have Taken Her 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. Saniyya I. Dennis, a Bronx native, was last seen April. Saniyya Dennis,. You can watch DA Flynns full news conference below. ", Saniyya worked two jobs. Search continues for missing Buffalo State student Saniyya Dennis I feel awful that I dont have a conclusion, obviously.. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. I also want to thank the Buffalo State community, members of the media, and residents from Western New York and beyond who have participated in the search and shared information about her case., Buffalo State Counseling Center: (716) 878-4436, Employee Assistance Program (EAP): (716) 878-6699, Reach Out SUNY NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline: 1-844-863-9314, SUNY Crisis Text Line: Text GOT5U to 741-741, Crisis Services of Buffalo (24/7): (716) 834-3131, Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK), option 1, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK), Spectrum Health & Human Services: (716) 710-5172, C.A.R.E.S.