Joshua Riibe, the Minnesota school pupil who was with College of Pittsburgh pupil Sudiksha Konanki the evening she went lacking on a spring break journey to the Dominican Republic, stated in court docket that he is “able to go house and return to my life.”
The 22-year-old Iowa native — who has not been charged with a criminal offense — stated Konanki’s household hugged him and thanked him.
“Her mom gave me a hug and stated, ‘Thanks for saving my daughter the primary time,”‘ Riibe stated in court docket Tuesday. “It was actually powerful.”
Sudiksha Konanki is seen on this undated photograph shared to Meta.
Sudiksha Konanki through Meta
Riibe’s court docket look was for a habeas corpus listening to that was requested by his legal professionals, who consider the 22-year-old is being detained illegally.
Authorities have confiscated Riibe’s passport, and Riibe stated in court docket that police have adopted him to meals and watched him eat. Riibe’s attorneys requested to get his passport returned and to get the power to depart the lodge with out surveillance.
“I can’t go anyplace. And I actually need to have the ability to go house, speak to my household, give them hugs, inform them I miss them,” Riibe stated. “I perceive I’m right here to assist, however it’s been 10 days and I can’t depart.”
“I am simply doing what I can, and at this level there’s nothing extra I can do,” Riibe added.
Prosecutor claimed in court docket that Riibe is a witness and isn’t detained.
Riibe’s father traveled to the Dominican Republic to assist him.
Authorities have stated they consider 20-year-old Konanki died by drowning in Punta Cana early on March 6, officers advised ABC Information. Her lacking individuals case is being handled as an accident, sources stated.
A member of civil protection canine unit searches for Sudiksha Konanki, a college pupil from the U.S. who disappeared on a seashore in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, March. 10, 2025.
Francesco Spotorno/AP
Riibe — who met Konanki that evening — advised prosecutors the 2 went swimming and kissed within the ocean. He stated they had been then hit by a wave and pulled into the ocean by the tide, in keeping with a transcript offered to ABC Information from two Dominican Republic sources.
Riibe stated he held Konanki and tried to get them out of the water.
“I used to be making an attempt to make it possible for she might breathe the complete time — that prevented me from respiratory the complete time and I took in lots of water,” he stated.
“Once I lastly touched the sand, I put her in entrance of me. Then she obtained as much as go get her stuff because the ocean had moved us,” Riibe advised the prosecutor. “She was not out of the water because it was as much as her knee. She was strolling at an angle within the water.”
“The final time I noticed her, I requested her if she was OK. I did not hear her response as a result of I started to vomit with all of the water I had swallowed,” he stated. “After vomiting, I appeared round and I did not see anybody. I assumed she had taken her issues and left.”
Riibe stated he handed out on a seashore chair and wakened hours later and returned to his lodge room.
Konanki’s household has despatched a proper request to Dominican police requesting they declare their daughter lifeless, in keeping with two sources with information of the investigation. The dad and mom famous Riibe was cooperating with the investigation they usually acknowledged there was no proof of foul play, the sources stated.
