Audrii Cunningham, left, was last seen on Feb. 15, 2024, leaving her home for the bus stop in Livingston, Texas. She never made it to school. Police have identified Don Steven McDougal, right, as a person of interest who was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban, center inset. Cops arrested him on an unrelated charge. (Texas Department of Public Safety)
Several law enforcement agencies and volunteers in Texas are fervently searching for 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who has been missing since Thursday.
Audrii was last seen around 7 a.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Lakeside Drive in Livingston, which is about 80 miles northeast of Houston, when she was supposed to catch the bus to school. Her family called cops after she didn’t get off the bus after school, and the Texas Department of Public Safety issued an Amber Alert which described her as an abducted child. She was wearing a black hoodie with black lettering, camo backpack, black pants and black high-top tennis shoes. She also was carrying a bright red, Hello Kitty-styled backpack at the time of her disappearance. School officials said she never made it to school on Thursday.
Since then, cops have recovered a backpack that could be connected to the case and arrested a “person of interest” on an unrelated charge. On Saturday morning Texas DPS released a photo of a 2003 dark blue Chevrolet Suburban which they deemed “vehicle of interest.” Police recovered the vehicle later Saturday and arrested its owner, 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal, calling him the only “person of interest.” He was arrested on an unrelated aggravated assault charge.
“We are hopeful we can bring Audrii home alive and that’s what we are absolutely working for right now,” DPS Lt. Craig Cummings told reporters at a press conference on Saturday afternoon. “Everybody is committed. They realize Audrii was loved by so many folks and that is the driving force for us to get answers and bring her home.”
UPDATE: Investigators have identified 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal (pictured) of Livingston as one of the persons of interest in the disappearance of Audrii Cunningham.
Report tips to the Polk Co Sheriff’s Office, Polk Co Crime Stoppers, or our iWatchTexas app. pic.twitter.com/d3AkWmAfg4
— TxDPS – Southeast Texas Region (@TxDPSSoutheast) February 17, 2024
Cummings declined to specify how McDougal became a person of interest. Cummings conceded that foul play could be involved and said the incident is being investigated as a criminal matter. Authorities late Sunday morning said there were no significant updates to share.
Audrii’s mother Casey Matthews said in an interview with local CBS affiliate KHOU that her daughter would not just run off and not tell anyone.
“She has so many opportunities ahead of her and deserves every right to reach those opportunities,” Matthews told the outlet. “She should be at home where we know she’s safe, and she’s warm, and she’s fed, and she should be with her little brother. She should be doing what Audrii does — smiling, laughing, making everybody else smile and laugh.”
Texas Equusearch, a non-profit search and rescue group, also is aiding in the effort. Local reporters posted videos of volunteers in 4-wheelers searching several areas.
A convoy of volunteers and #EquuSearch continues the search for #AudriiCunningham at US 59 and the Trinity River Bridge. @KHOU pic.twitter.com/37xHYqRV7A
— Katiera Winfrey (@Katiera_Winfrey) February 17, 2024
Anyone with information about Audrii’s disappearance is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 936-327-6810 or Polk County Crime Stoppers, at 936-327-STOP. Callers can remain anonymous. Crime stoppers is offering a $7,000 reward.
