Public Birthday Party Held for Missing South Dakota Girl

RAPID CITY, SD. (AP) — Dozens of people gathered in Rapid City’s Main Street Square to celebrate the 10th birthday of a 9-year-old girl who ran away from a children’s home in western South Dakota four months ago.

KEVN-TV reports that state Sen. Lynne DiSanto organized the Sunday event to celebrate Serenity Dennard’s birthday. The girl’s mother was on hand.

People wore Serenity’s favorite color, purple, ate purple cupcakes, blew bubbles, released balloons sang happy birthday.

Serenity ran away from the Black Hills Children’s Home on Feb. 3. Numerous searches have been conducted since then, including one over the weekend.

The search changed from a rescue to a recovery effort not long after she went missing. Authorities say Serenity likely wouldn’t have survived if she was outside in subzero temperatures.

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Information from: KEVN-TV, http://www.kevn.com