The parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki have asked for Dominican authorities to declare their daughter dead. Their request highlights the heartbreaking realities of losing a child and handling the legalities of a missing person case.

Monday marks 11 days since Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, disappeared while on a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, prompting a widespread search from both U.S. and local authorities by land,