The tight-knit community of Livingston, Texas, came together at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8568 on Sunday for a prayer vigil, holding on to hope for the safe return of Audrii Cunningham. The 11-year-old vanished on Thursday and has been the subject of an intensive search backed by local law enforcement and the Department of Public Safety.
According to Houston Chronicle, the VFW's heartfelt Facebook post expressed their love for Audrii, recounting memories of her laughter and her learning to dance at the post. With the search entering its third day, officials have named 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal a person of interest, although arrested on an unrelated aggravated assault charge, authorities continue to look into his connection to the case.
As the Livingston community reels from this unexpected event, Senior Vice Commander Ray Epps of the VFW post spoke with FOX 26 Houston, noting the rarity of such an incident in this area. "Livingston, Onalaska, Polk County as a whole, we’re a tight-knit group. Something like this doesn’t happen here. That’s something you expect out of the city," Epps said.
During the vigil, a friend of the Cunningham family, Chris Boothe, took a moment to address the community, urging them to refrain from spreading rumors and speculation about Audrii's disappearance. "I’m going to ask that if you don’t know anything, don’t say anything. All you’re doing is hurting the family," Boothe told FOX 26 Houston. Law enforcement officials have McDougal's vehicle in their possession and are calling on anyone with video footage of the dark blue Chevy suburban from the day Audrii went missing to come forward with information.
