Missing Texas Girl Audrii Cunningham Found Dead in River |
• Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl from Texas, who went missing on her way to school, was found deceased Tuesday in the Trinity River, as confirmed by Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.
• Sheriff Lyons stated that Audrii's body was discovered beneath US Highway 59 in the Trinity River.
• The body has been transferred to the medical examiner's office to determine the cause of death.
• Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton announced the preparation of arrest warrants for
Don Steven McDougal, 42, who is to be charged with capital murder.
• McDougal, a friend of Audrii's father, resides in a trailer on the family's property and occasionally escorted Audrii to the bus stop, as per the sheriff's statement.
•He has an extensive criminal history, including one for enticing a child. Authorities have said
he was not required to be on a sex offender register after the child enticement conviction stemming from a 2007 incident.