Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl from Livingstone, Texas, was found deceased in the Trinity River on Tuesday. Audrii disappeared on February 15th after leaving her home to go to the school bus stop; Audrii never arrived at the bus stop or school. Audrii’s family initially reported her missing on the 15th when she didn’t return from school.
The 11-year-old’s body was found in the Trinity River near the US Highway 59 bridge in Livingston, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons confirmed during a Tuesday press conference.
“We will continue to process the evidence that has been gathered to ensure that there is justice for Audrii,” Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said.
Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton said her office is preparing arrest warrants for Don Steven McDougal, 42, in connection with Cunningham’s Feb. 15 disappearance. They are eyeing capital murder charges.
McDougal was known to the girl and her family.
McDougal was arrested on Friday on unrelated charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and gave him “several opportunities to cooperate” with their investigation into Audrii’s disappearance, said Lt. Craig Cummings, spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety in Southeast Texas.
“He was probably taking her to…the bus stop, and we do feel that he was the last person to see Audrii,” Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said of McDougal during the Monday press conference, adding that there were “some occasions” when McDougal would take Audrii to the bus stop or even to school if she missed the bus.
Lyons urged the public not to “jump to conclusions” as his office works to build a strong criminal case.
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McDougal was, apparently, at times, a part-time caregiver for Audrii despite having an extensive criminal background.
McDougal lived in a camper behind the residence where Audrii lived with her father, grandparents and other family, Cummings said. Audrii’s mother, Cassie Matthews, told FOX 26 Houston that she believed McDougal would babysit the 11-year-old girl while he was staying at her father’s home.
McDougal’s criminal record included charges of enticement of a child. This brings the question, of course, as to why he was allowed to be a caregiver for Audrii.
McDougal has an extensive criminal history dating back to the early 2000s. His charges range from enticement of a child in Brazoria County in 2008 to assault of a family member and evading arrest in Liberty County, among dozens of other crimes.
McDougal is expected to be charged with capital murder. As of this writing, it is not known if prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2022 Amber Alert Report, girls outnumber boys by a considerable margin in child abductions. In 2022, out of 169 Amber Alerts for which the motivation of the abduction was determined, a plurality (70) were the result of custody disputes; 17 were due to “Domestic Issues,” 14 to criminal activity, 11 to vehicle theft, and 9 for sexual assault.
If you have small children at home, hug them especially close tonight.
