It's a phenomenon experienced by the families of missing people when a body is never found, experts say: grief without certainty.

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.