It's one of those cases that sticks in your throat. You’ve probably seen the face on your feed: a 9-year-old girl with a bright smile, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Her name is Serenity Dennard. If you’ve been scouring the internet recently, you might have seen headlines or social media posts claiming Serenity Dennard found 2022 was a breakthrough moment in this long-running South Dakota mystery.
Honestly, it’s heartbreaking to set the record straight, but she wasn't found in 2022. She hasn't been found at all.
What actually happened in 2022—and why people keep searching for that specific phrase—is a mix of updated police technology and a tragic lack of closure that has left the public desperate for any scrap of good news.
What Really Happened in the Serenity Dennard Case?
To understand the confusion, we have to go back to a freezing Super Bowl Sunday on February 3, 2019. Serenity was a resident at the Black Hills Children’s Home, located in a rugged, wooded area about 20 miles southwest of Rapid City.
She ran away.
It wasn't the first time. Serenity struggled with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and other behavioral challenges stemming from a chaotic early childhood spent in over a dozen foster homes. That morning, she was playing in the gym. One kid ran off, a staff member followed, and in that tiny window of distraction, Serenity bolted out the door.
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She was last seen by a woman and her granddaughter who were dropping someone off at the facility. They saw her walking north on Rockerville Road. No coat. Just a long-sleeved shirt and jeans in sub-zero weather.
By the time the facility called 911—about 100 minutes later—the South Dakota winter had already begun to swallow any traces of her.
Why the search for Serenity Dennard found 2022 is so high
If she wasn't found, why are thousands of people googling this?
Basically, 2022 marked a significant shift in how the case was handled. After three years of scouring 6,000 miles of terrain with 1,500 personnel and 200+ K-9 searches, the physical search was suspended. But in 2022, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) released a new age-progression image.
This image showed what Serenity would look like as a 13-year-old.
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The photo went viral. People shared it millions of times across Facebook and TikTok. Many people saw the "new" face, missed the "age-progression" label, and assumed it was a photo of her after being recovered.
It was a classic case of the internet's "telephone game." One person shares a photo saying "New update on Serenity," and by the time it hits the tenth person, the caption says "She’s been found!"
The Search in the Black Hills: A Brutal Reality
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office hasn't given up, but they are realistic. Former Sheriff Kevin Thom and current Sheriff Brian Mueller have been pretty transparent about the "working theory."
They believe she succumbed to the elements.
The Black Hills are beautiful but lethal in February. We’re talking about a 9-year-old girl in a thin shirt in temperatures that can drop to -15°F. Experts say hypothermia would have set in within an hour.
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Misconceptions and Rumors
You'll find plenty of "armchair detectives" online claiming she was abducted. While the police haven't 100% ruled out foul play, they’ve found zero evidence of it.
- The "Closed Compound" Theory: Some locals point to nearby religious communities, suggesting she was taken in. Police investigated these leads; they led nowhere.
- The 911 Delay: The Black Hills Children’s Home faced massive heat for waiting over an hour and a half to call the cops. Would an immediate call have saved her? It's the "what if" that haunts her family.
- Cadaver Dogs: Dogs did alert near a creek a few months after she vanished. But in the wild, scents can be deceptive or travel with water. No physical evidence was ever located at those spots.
Where the Case Stands Today
As we move through 2026, the investigation remains "open and active," even if the boots on the ground have stopped.
The Pennington County Sheriff's Office still gets tips. Most are sightings of girls who look like the age-progressed photos. Every single one is vetted.
In 2023, another age-progression was released for her 14th birthday. The goal is to keep her face in front of the public just in case she was picked up by someone and is living under a different name, though investigators lean toward the "lost in the woods" theory.
Actionable Steps: How You Can Actually Help
If you want to do more than just search for updates, there are concrete ways to support the search for missing children like Serenity.
- Study the Age-Progression Images: Don't just look at the 2019 photos. Look at the NCMEC age-progressed versions. This is what she would look like as a teenager today.
- Report, Don't Speculate: If you think you see someone matching her description, call the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office at (605) 394-6115. Don't post it to a Facebook group first; call the authorities.
- Support Foster Care Reform: Serenity’s history of 12+ foster placements is a stark reminder of the trauma many kids face. Supporting local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) programs helps kids in the system get the stability they need.
- Verify Before Sharing: When you see a "Found!" post, check a reputable news source or the official Sheriff's page. Spreading false hope is devastating for the family.
The story of Serenity Dennard is a tragedy of timing, terrain, and a system that failed a vulnerable child. While the Serenity Dennard found 2022 rumors were just that—rumors—the search for answers continues.
Stay vigilant, stay informed, and keep the focus on the real facts.