The search for 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham continues today after she went missing last Thursday in Livingston. Audrii was last seen at approximately 6:45 a.m. on the morning she disappeared, and according to KENS 5, her family raised the alarm after she did not return home from school, leading to an AMBER Alert. Investigators are now following new leads, after a $10,000 reward for information was announced, in the hopes of tracking down the individual responsible for her disappearance.
Audrii, described as having blonde hair, blue eyes and standing about 4 feet 1 inch tall, was last seen sporting a black hoodie with white lettering, black pants, and black high-top tennis shoes. Officials at the Texas Department of Public Safety have zeroed in on Don Steven McDougal, a 42-year-old family friend who resides in a camper behind Audrii's home, as their main person of interest. Although McDougal was arrested on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon late Friday night, he has not yet been charged in connection with the case of the missing girl. According to a statement obtained by KENS 5, he admitted to leaving his house on Thursday morning with Audrii.
There was a breakthrough in the case on Friday with the discovery of a backpack potentially belonging to a child near Lake Livingston Dam, Polk County Sheriff's Office suggests there’s “a high probability that it’s going to be Audrii’s.” This location, a significant distance from Audrii’s residence, has been identified as an area of interest. Further commentary was not offered by law enforcement, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
According to ABC13, the search near the dam was paused on Friday, following the potential discovery of Audrii’s backpack. “I'm being told that they have possibly found her backpack in this area, but no signs of her,” Cassie Matthews, Audrii's mother, told ABC13. She described the agonizing mix of emotions that have plagued her since her daughter's disappearance. “You're broken, you're mad, you're lost, you're empty, and right now, I'm empty,” Matthews said. Neighbors report that Audrii usually walked to her bus stop accompanied by a dog, a scene that did not unfold on the morning she went missing.
Lt. Craig Cummings of the Texas Department of Public Safety has called on the public for assistance, urging anyone with information on Audrii's whereabouts to reach out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Multiple persons of interest have been identified, but specific details regarding who last saw Audrii, remain confidential to protect the integrity of the investigation. The search for Audrii Cunningham is expected to resume in earnest as the local community and law enforcement join hands in the hope of her safe return.
