LIVINGSTON, TX – The body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who went missing last week, was discovered in the Trinity River in Texas on Tuesday, according to local officials. The girl had disappeared after she failed to board a school bus near her home in Livingston.
Don McDougal, the individual last seen with her, is expected to be charged with capital murder in connection to the case. Currently in custody on an unrelated charge, McDougal had recently become acquainted with Cunningham’s family and even lived in close proximity to their home.
Expressing his grief at the tragic news, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons extended his deepest condolences to all those who knew and loved Cunningham. He also stated that McDougal would often accompany Cunningham to the bus stop and occasionally even give her rides to school when she missed her bus. Lyons also noted that McDougal has a previous criminal history that involved another young girl more than ten years ago, but he was not registered as a sex offender.
While an arrest warrant for capital murder is expected to be issued against McDougal, Polk County District Attorney Shelly Bush-Sitton acknowledged the difficult time for Cunningham’s family and the community.
The cause of Cunningham’s death has not been disclosed yet as authorities await the autopsy report. Sheriff Lyons revealed that the investigation into the murder case is still ongoing, with mounds of information and data still being processed. The discovery of Cunningham’s body was possible due to cell phone analysis, video evidence, and information provided by McDougal.