The authorities in Livingston, Texas have discovered the remains of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham in the Trinity River.
They are now getting ready to press a capital murder charge against Don Steven McDougal, a 42-year-old family friend who resided on the same property as the girl’s family. It is said that he had sometimes taken the deceased to the bus stop or driven her to school.
Audrii Cunningham was reported as missing on Thursday, February 15, 2024, when she didn’t come back home from school. It was later revealed by investigators that she didn’t even get on the bus that morning. A backpack belonging to her was discovered near the dam on Lake Livingston the next day.
McDougal was arrested on Feb. 16th for an assault charge not related to the Audrii’s case. He became a suspect when a witness connected his dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban to the 11-year-old’s disappearance.
McDougal has also pleaded no contest to two felony counts of enticing a child, as stated by the Associated Press. The incident occurred near Houston in 2007, and the suspect has been sentenced to two years in prison.
On Tuesday, divers recovered Audrii’s body from the Trinity River, about 10 miles from her home. Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said that cell phone data and videos helped identify the places to search, and that the local river authority slowed down the outflow of a reservoir to assist the search teams.
According to Lyons, the information gathered in the “criminal investigation is substantial.” He also added that his “heart aches with this news and I express with my deepest sympathies and condolences to everyone who knew, who cared for, and loved Audrii.”
Don Steven McDougal is currently under investigation for capital murder, as confirmed by Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton. The officials are actively working on securing an arrest warrant, while the decision regarding the potential imposition of the death penalty is yet to be determined.
The cause and manner of Audrii Cunningham’s death have not been revealed by the authorities. Currently, her remains are undergoing examination by the Harris County Medical Examiner.
