Disclaimer: The following story focuses on aspects of mental health and suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is (800) 273-8255. Buffalo and Erie County's 24-hour crisis hotline is (716) 834-3131
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - The missing Buffalo State College student is presumed to have taken her own life, local law enforcement officials said Thursday.
Saniyya Dennis was last seen on April 24 leaving the college. She took a bus to Niagara Falls where it's believed she took her life.
"Without a body and without an autopsy being done, we're never going to definitively know," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said in a news conference. "Like I said to the parents, all I can do is be honest with you. I'm not going to sugarcoat this at all. I'm going to tell you the God's honest truth of what I have. I'm doing the same thing with the public right now.
"I can't make a conclusion," Flynn said. I can't conclude anything until I find and have her."
Disclaimer: The text below recaps the timeline of Saniyya Dennis' disappearance. The description may be disconcerting for some readers.
Much of Flynn's news conference recapped the timeline of the 19-year-old's disappearance. It began around noon on April 24 when Dennis and her boyfriend, who was in New York City, argued and broke up over the phone. Dennis was distraught over the breakup and attempted to contact him dozens of times by phone and text.
One of the messages from Dennis to her ex-boyfriend said she may kill herself.
"The end of that text is 'I'm so done with my own life and living it. I've finally had enough'," Flynn said.
The ex-boyfriend is not considered a suspect in this case because he is currently living in New York City.
Dennis then exchanged messages with another male friend, who also lives in New York City. Flynn said the male friend was aware of her ongoing mental health issues. The friend spoke with Dennis by phone and text messages for several hours. There was one conversation that lasted for four hours and the two played video games together during that time.
It appeared that Dennis had come down from her heightened emotional state during the conversation with the friend that lasted until after 10 p.m.
"She states that she's feeling better and that she had reconsidered taking her own life," Flynn said. "At this point, the male friend believes her."
An hour later, Dennis left the college. Video was captured of her leaving her dorm building. There was also footage of her throwing away personal items that Flynn did not want to disclose other than to say it signified she would not be returning. Authorities have those personal belongings.
Dennis then took a bus by herself Niagara Falls and arrived shortly after midnight that Sunday. She texted her mother to say she would call her tomorrow. In a separate text around the same time, she sent another text to the friend in New York City.
The text read: "I'm really glad we talked today. I'll forever treasure it. But I'm sorry I lied. I will not be joining you this summer. At least physically. Thank you for making my day special."
Dennis took a trail into the park at 12:17 a.m. Flynn said this was the last time she was seen on video.
During that time, the friend responded to say to call him immediately or he would call the police. Dennis did not immediately call, though the friend made contact with her by phone.
"They speak for about 45 minutes," Flynn said. "According to him, she informed him that she had taken a bus to an island...and was going to jump off the bridge. He tried to talk her out of it. During the call...she told him that she had reconsidered and that she was going to wait for a bus to go home. She ended that call by telling him that her mother was calling her, which we know according to her records was not true. We have her phone records and know that her mother did not call her any time between 12:19 a.m. and 1 a.m. She ended that phone call by saying something that wasn't true."
Dennis took a Snapchat photo around 1 a.m. and around that time texted her friend to say she was on a bus coming home, though Flynn said that was not the truth. Her last text was sent at 1:22 a.m. saying she would let that friend know when she got off the bus.
"She was not on a bus," Flynn said. "At 1:23 a.m., this male friend texted her back saying 'ok'. He acknowledges the text. At 1:23 a.m. her cell phone leaves the cellular network, meaning it was either powered off or destroyed."
The male friend continued to try and contact Dennis throughout the night. Flynn said the friend did not initially report what was happening to police.
The investigation into her disappearance began the next day. It included a search for her on the ground, helicopters and drones searching for her beginning May 1. Nearby businesses were questioned about what footage they had of Dennis.
Search dogs also looked for Dennis and traced her to a walkway near Luna Island, near the edge of the falls.
Flynn said the search will continue for her.
"It appears this poor girl took her own life," Flynn said. "I can't definitively say that at all. All I can do is present you with what I have...Without a body. Without an autopsy being done. We're never going to definitively know."
The district attorney spoke with the family on Wednesday about the evidence they had and said they have had difficulty accepting the news.
"I feel awful," Flynn said while choking up. "I feel awful for the parents. I feel awful that I don't have a conclusion, obviously, that I can't give these parents their daughter. That's what we have. I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this investigation."
