In a tragic turn of events, Audrii Cunningham, the missing 11-year-old girl from Texas, was discovered lifeless on Tuesday afternoon. Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons, in a somber Tuesday press conference, confirmed that Audrii’s body was found in the Trinity River near the US Highway 59 bridge in Livingston.
Sheriff Lyons, visibly affected by the grim discovery, pledged to relentlessly process the evidence gathered to ensure justice for Audrii. Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton revealed that arrest warrants are being prepared for Don Steven McDougal, 42, in connection with Audrii’s disappearance, with the potential for capital murder charges.
McDougal’s arrest on Friday, on unrelated charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, raised suspicions as investigators sought his cooperation in Audrii’s disappearance. Lt. Craig Cummings, spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety in Southeast Texas, emphasized that McDougal, who was likely the last person to see Audrii, had been given several opportunities to cooperate.
During a Monday press conference, Sheriff Lyons expressed concern about public speculation, urging people not to hastily draw conclusions. The 11-year-old should have boarded her school bus on the morning of Feb. 15 but never made it, prompting a series of investigations that led to this tragic discovery.