BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — 19-year-old Saniyya Dennis has now been since April 24. Police said Saniyya's phone last pinged on Goat Island at 1:23 a.m. April 25. 7 Eyewitness News has broken down a timeline of the investigation into her disappearance.
- Saturday, April 24 Police say Saniyya was last seen leaving her dorm room on Buffalo State University's campus around 11 p.m. Saturday.
- Sunday, April 25 Saniyya's family said they called Buffalo State Police to ask for a welfare check on Saniyya twice Sunday evening after not hearing from Saniyya all day.
- Monday, April 26 Police Chief Peter Carey said the investigation began with a welfare check in Saniyya's dorm.
- Tuesday, April 27 New York State Missing Persons Clearing House created a case on Saniyya.
- Wednesday, April 28 7 Eyewitness News learned about Saniyya's disappearance after a non-police agency shared the NYS Missing Persons Clearing House Poster on Facebook around noon. The Buffalo State Police posted to their Facebook and Twitter around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Police had not notified the media Saniyya was missing.
- Thursday, April 29 Buffalo State Police Chief Carey was interviewed by 7 Eyewitness News at 7 Eyewitness News's request.
- Friday, April 30 Buffalo State College held a news conference about Saniyya Dennis. Search parties said they began searching Friday night and have continued every day since. Saniyya's family expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation.
- Monday, May 3 The search for Saniyya Dennis makes national headlines on Good Morning America.
- Tuesday, May 4 Calvin Byrd, Saniyya Dennis' father, spoke with 7 Eyewitness News and urged anyone who might know anything to come forward. Byrd said he saw surveillance video that police believe is his daughter walking in Niagara Falls, but it is unclear because the video is from cameras that are far away.
- Wednesday, May 5 7 Eyewitness News learns the Erie County District Attorney's Office is partnering with University Police at Buffalo State to lead the search. New York State Park Police detail the steps of the investigation, saying to this point no evidence of Saniyya Dennis has been located.
In the report Wednesday, NYS Park Police say the following steps have been taken in the investigation:
- Foot searches of Niagara Falls State Park and the Niagara River Lower Gorge in coordination with State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, Ontario Canada Park Police and Buffalo State University Police.
- Daily searches of Goat Island, Prospect Park, Cave of the Winds, and the Maid of the Mist areas.
- A tracking bloodhound and two K9’s conducting article searches.
- Three helicopter searches of the lower Niagara River.
