US student’s spring break disappearance ‘too early’ to rule drowning: Virginia sheriff
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Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student from Virginia, vanished in the Dominican Republic.

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Published March 10, 2025 8:29pm EDT


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Loudoun County, Va Sheriff Mike Chapman discusses the disappearance of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konank in the Dominican Republic on 'America Reports.'

A sheriff in Virginia is pushing back against the narrative that a missing  student from his county drowned in the Dominican Republic, saying that it is "too early to rule anything out."

Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman told Fox News' Aishah Hasnie on "America Reports" that they are "pursuing every angle" in the disappearance of 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki, who was last seen on a beach in Punta Cana.

"As you know, the Dominican authorities are working hard. They're conducting interviews and looking over phones and trying to get the best information available," he said. "We're working with our officers and our State Department and our U.S. Embassy down there and the FBI and others that have been all part of this thing since this investigation began."

Konanki was on vacation with five other female University of Pittsburgh students before her disappearance in the early morning hours on March 6, officials said.





Investigators later were questioning a "young man" who went into the waters of the beach around the time Konanki vanished, the  newspaper Listin Diario reported.

Chapman said that they want to "turn over every rock" before concluding what happened to Konanki, declining to comment on whom authorities questioned.

"Before we comment on who exactly they're talking to, and what kind of information they are getting at this point is too premature," he said.

On Monday, authorities in the Dominican Republic were using drones, helicopters and dogs to search for Konanki, the Associated Press reported.

"The search is underway at sea because it's presumed she drowned. According to the boy who was with her, the waves swept her away, but that is under police investigation," Jensen Sánchez, a Civil Defense spokesperson, told the AP.

Konanki’s parents flew to Punta Cana after learning about their daughter’s disappearance, according to WTOP. Her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, and a family friend reportedly filed a complaint on Sunday calling  to expand the investigation.

"It’s four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore," Konanki's father told WTOP. "She’s not found, so we’re asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction."

"She’s belongings, including personal items like her phone and wallet, were left with her friends, which is unusual because she always carried her phone with her," the outlet quoted her father writing in the complaint. "In light of these circumstances, I respectfully request that the authorities take immediate steps to investigate not only the possibility of an accidental drowning, but also the possibility of a kidnapping or foul play."



Sudiksha Konanki appears in an undated photo on her TikTok profile. She was last seen on March 6 at a resort beach in Punta Cana. (@sudikshakonanki/TikTok)

On Monday, authorities in the Dominican Republic were using drones, helicopters and dogs to search for Konanki, the Associated Press reported.

"The search is underway at sea because it's presumed she drowned. According to the boy who was with her, the waves swept her away, but that is under police investigation," Jensen Sánchez, a Civil Defense spokesperson, told the AP.

Konanki’s parents flew to Punta Cana after learning about their daughter’s disappearance, according to WTOP. Her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, and a family friend reportedly filed a complaint on Sunday calling  to expand the investigation.

"It’s four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore," Konanki's father told WTOP. "She’s not found, so we’re asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction."

"She’s belongings, including personal items like her phone and wallet, were left with her friends, which is unusual because she always carried her phone with her," the outlet quoted her father writing in the complaint. "In light of these circumstances, I respectfully request that the authorities take immediate steps to investigate not only the possibility of an accidental drowning, but also the possibility of a kidnapping or foul play."



Sudiksha Konanki appears in an undated photo on her TikTok profile. She was last seen on March 6 at a resort beach in Punta Cana. (@sudikshakonanki/TikTok)



Tourists walk along the shore of the beach partially covered by sargassum at Bibijagua Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on May 20, 2023. (FELIX LEON/AFP via Getty Images)

College students are flocking to popular spring break destinations outside the United States, including Cancún, Mexico and Punta Cana. The destinations – while offering vacation options for college students – are under travel advisories of the U.S. Department of State.

The Dominican Republic has a , which means travelers are to exercise increased caution during their visit and be aware of "heightened risks to safety and security."

 wrote this story on behalf of Fox News Digital.

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Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a U.S. Writer at Fox News Digital.

Sarah joined FOX in 2021, where she has assisted on coverage of breaking and major news events across the US and around the world, including the fallout following the , the assassination attempts on  and .

She has experience reporting on topics including , politics, business, lifestyle, world news and more. You can follow her on  and .

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Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a U.S. Writer at Fox News Digital.

Sarah joined FOX in 2021, where she has assisted on coverage of breaking and major news events across the US and around the world, including the fallout following the , the assassination attempts on  and .

She has experience reporting on topics including , politics, business, lifestyle, world news and more. You can follow her on  and .
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