Sudiksha Konanki, 20, disappeared March 6 on a spring break trip with five friends in Punta Cana. The parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki said Tuesday they've given up hope that their daughter is still alive and believe she drowned on a spring break trip in the Dominican Republic.

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.

The parents of missing Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki wrote a letter to investigating authorities asking them to declare her legally deceased.