'Person of Interest' in Audrii Cunningham’s Disappearance Charged with Murder After Body Found in River

Mar. 15, 2025

Don Steven McDougal (L); Audrii Cunningham (R).Photo:Montgomery County Jail; Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Montgomery County Jail; Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Audrii was reported missing in Livingston, Texas, on Feb. 15 when she didn’t show up for school, police said at the time.

On Feb. 16, Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested McDougal, 42, on an unrelated assault charge. At the time, he was considered a person of interest in Audrii’s disappearance.

McDougal has past convictions for enticement of a child,FOX 26,KHOU 11andClick 2 Houstonreport, citing court records. It is unclear if McDougal has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Audrii Cunningham.Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Audrii was last seen near her residence at about 7 a.m. local time in Livingston, the Polk County authorities said in apress releaseon Feb 16.“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.

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Police also located “a small backpack that likely belonged to a child” near the Lake Livingston Dam, they said on Feb. 17. 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.

Audrii’s mother, Cassie Matthews, believes McDougal may be a friend of Audrii’s father, per FOX 26.

source: people.com