Audrii Cunningham, whose disappearance in Texas last week sparked an AMBER Alert, was found dead on Tuesday.
KRIV reported that Cunningham, 11, was found dead in the Trinity River near Livingston. A press conference scheduled for this afternoon will provide more details about the circumstances surrounding the discovery.
An AMBER Alert was issued by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on February 15, after Cunningham did not board her bus or show up at school.
On Saturday, the Texas Department of Public Safety identified 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal, who lives in a trailer behind the home where Cunningham lives with her father, as a “person of interest” in her disappearance. He allegedly admitted to leaving her home with her but is not fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
KRTK reported that McDougal was spotted at a mechanic shop in Livingston the same day Cunningham vanished. Witnesses told the news outlet that McDougal was looking for a part for his blue Chevy Suburban — which they described as covered in dirt. The witnesses also said McDougal was acting suspiciously.
McDougal — who is currently jailed on an unrelated aggravated assault charge — allegedly took detectives to Livingston Dam where they located Cunningham’s backpack. As of Tuesday, he has not been charged in connection with her reported death.
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[Feature Photo: Audrii Cunningham/Polk County Sheriff’s Office]
