LIVINGSTON, TX — A 42-year-old family friend faces charges of capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges in connection with the disappearance and death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham. Court records revealed the formal charges as Don Steven McDougal is held in jail on an unrelated charge. Audrii's lifeless body was discovered in the Trinity River under US-59 after extensive search efforts by authorities.
Audrii, last seen on Thursday at 6:45 a.m., failed to board the school bus and was reported missing later that day. McDougal, known to be friends with the family and living in a camper behind their home, had reportedly taken Audrii to the bus stop and school on previous occasions. An AMBER Alert was issued, triggering search operations concentrated around Lake Livingston and eventually narrowing down to the area near the Trinity River Bridge.
11-Year-Old Girl Murdered by Family Friend Don Steven McDougal
(Credit: Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
During the investigation, McDougal provided information about multiple locations he visited after Audrii's disappearance, with one of those locations turning out to be where her body was found. An autopsy has been scheduled in Harris County to determine the cause of Audrii's death.
McDougal's criminal history, extending back to 2001, includes charges such as possession of marijuana, assault of a public servant, possession of a dangerous drug, evading arrest or detention, and enticing a minor with intent. He served a two-year prison sentence in Huntsville between September 2020 and September 2022. In 2023, he faced charges of resisting arrest in Conroe.
Sheriff Byron Lyons identified McDougal as the likely last person to see Audrii alive. McDougal admitted to leaving the house with her on the day of her disappearance and was regarded as the "main person of interest" before the discovery of Audrii's body. The investigation remains active as McDougal is held in custody on unrelated charges
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Comments
Perhaps some day some one will "entice him with intent".
- Log in or register to post comments
PermalinkPost a comment to this article here: