A FAMILY FRIEND HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF 11-YEAR-OLD AUDRII CUNNINGHAM
OnThursday 15 February 2024, an A mber Alert was issued for Audrii Cunningham when the 11 year old failed to turn up at her school in Livingston, Texas. The authorities knew she had left home at 7am as usual, setting out to walk the half a mile to the bus stop. But a neighbour who lived half way along the route, and greeted Audrii ever y day as she walked her dog, did not see her that morning.
Apress release was issued by the Polk County Sheriff ’s Office, which read, “Audrii should have caught the school bus at her neighbourhood bus stop. However, school officials reported to the Sheriff ’s Office that the school bus did not pick Audrii up, nor did she report to school. At this time, her whereabouts are unknown.” They also issued a full description of the little girl, who was dressed in a black hoodie with white lettering, black trousers, and black high-top shoes, carrying a distinctive Hello Kitty backpack.
The Sheriff ’s Office launched a search, assisted by the Texas Rangers and State Guard, as well as other local police and fire departments. They suspected Audrii was in “immediate or grave danger”, and their worst fears began to be realised on 17 February when “a small backpack that likely belonged to a child” was found near the Lake Livingston Dam. Divers went into the nearby Trinity River, and on 20 February, Audrii’s body was found. It was immediately apparent this was not a tragic accident, as she had been tied to a rock to weigh her down. The Harris County medical examiner’s office would later rule cause of death as “homicidal violence including blunt head trauma”.
ARREST
By the time Audrii’s body was recovered, a person of interest had already been identified: 42-year-old Don McDougal, a friend of Audrii’s father. He had been arrested on 16 February for an unrelated stabbing, but the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a statement the next day, saying, “Investigators believe a dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban belonging to McDougal was involved in the disappearance [of Audrii], and is asking for the public’s help in reporting any sightings of the vehicle on Thursday or Friday.” It was then reported by one US news outlet that McDougal had taken his vehicle to a repair shop the day Audrii went missing, where workers stated that he was “filthy, covered in dirt, and acting suspicious”. McDougal was charged with capital murder on 21 February, meaning he could face the death penalty if convicted, and the charging document revealed Audrii’s body had been tied with rope “consistent with” rope found in McDougal’s car. It also stated, “ Video footage and cell phone data places McDougal at three locations of interest,” claiming, “McD
