THE 11-year-old girl’s body has been located; she disappeared while traveling to a bus stop.
Six days after Audrii Cunningham went missing in Livingston, Texas, approximately an hour north of Houston, on February 15, her remains were recovered from the Trinity River.
After the river’s water level was lowered, Audrii’s body was found, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The cause of death was not made public right away.
District Attorney Shelly Sitton of Polk County confirmed that Don Steven McDougal, 42, has been charged with capital murder by her office.
“You can assure that the district attorney’s office will be just as dedicated to this case as every one of these law enforcement officers that are standing behind you to do what is right for Audrii and bring justice to our community,” Sitton told reporters.McDougal was detained on Friday on suspicion of an unrelated assault; he had already been identified as a person of interest in Audrii’s disappearance.
Following Audrii’s disappearance, McDougal reportedly told detectives that he had visited the Trinity River. This information was provided by Polk County Sheriff personnel.
Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said on Tuesday that McDougal neglected to inform sheriff’s officials that the 11-year-old’s body was in the river.The 11-year-old was meant to catch a school bus close to her house, according to the police, but she never did and missed that day’s class.
According to investigators, McDougal’s 2003 dark blue Chevrolet Suburban played a role in Audrii’s alleged abduction.
McDougal, who is in an RV behind the house where Audrii lives with her father and other family members, was most likely the last person to see the girl before she vanished, according to Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.
In the past, the Texas Department of Public Safety stated that they thought foul play was a factor in Audrii’s case.
“We are hopeful that we can bring Audrii home alive and that’s what we are absolutely working for right now,” the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement.
“But based on the evidence we’ve got, we understand that foul play is a factor as well.”
McDougal has a lengthy criminal record dating back to the early 2000s, according to court documents.
He was convicted of two counts of enticement of a child in 2008 and sentenced to two years for each count.
