Don Steven McDougal (L); Audrii Cunningham (R).Photo:Montgomery County Jail; Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Montgomery County Jail; Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Police in Texas have identified a person of interest in thedisappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was reported missing after she did not show up to school on Thursday, according to authorities.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested Don Steven McDougal, 42, on an unrelated charge, the Texas Department of Public Safety - Southeast Texas Region said in astatementover the weekend. He was charged with aggravated assault for an unrelated incident on Friday, jail records show.
McDougal is “one of the persons of interest” in the disappearance of Audrii, authorities say. The sheriff’s office did not comment on how many persons of interest they have identified so far in the investigation.
Audrii was last seen near her residence at about 7 a.m. local time on Thursday in Livingston, Texas, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in apress releaseearly Friday morning.“Audrii should have caught the school bus at her neighborhood 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,” the release reads.
Audrii Cunningham.Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Police also located “a small backpack that likely belonged to a child” near the Lake Livingston Dam, per the statement. Audrii was carrying a bright red “Hello Kitty” backpack at the time of her disappearance, but police did not specify anything further about the backpack they recovered.
McDougal has past convictions for enticement of a child,FOX 26,KHOU 11andClick 2 Houstonreport, citing court records.
Audrii’s mother, Cassie Matthews, believes McDougal may be a friend of Audrii’s father, per FOX 26.
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The sheriff’s office describes Audrii as “a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes. She weighs 75 pounds and is approximately 4-foot-1-inch tall."
She was last seen wearing black pants, a black hoodie with white lettering, and black high-top tennis shoes, the sheriff’s office said.
“Sheriff Lyons asks that anyone with information in this case to immediately contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, at 936-327-6810,” the press release states. A $7,000 reward “for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for Audrii’s disappearance” is also being offered, according to the release.
The Texas Department of Public Safety sent out an Amber Alert to residents across Texas late Thursday night, according tolocal ABC 13. TheAustin American-Statesmanreportedthat authorities believe the 11 year old is in grave or immediate danger.
source: people.com
