Family Friend Accused Of Audrii Cunningham Murder, Sheriff Says He Participated In Search For Girl

Authorities say Don Steven McDougal was supposed to drive Cunningham to her school bus stop on the day she vanished. On Tuesday, a week after she went missing, her remains were discovered in the Trinity River outside Houston.

Cunningham’s family reported the girl missing on February 15 after she did not come home after school. Later they learned she had never made it to her school bus on the morning of her disappearance.

42-year-old McDougal, who lived in a camper on the family’s property, had previously taken the girl to school, according to Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.

The suspect had already been taken into custody on Friday for an unrelated assault charge.

Law enforcement found a backpack they believed belonged to the girl on Friday near a dam connected to the Trinity River.

Sheriff Byron Lyons said they have already gathered “substantial evidence” in the case. Law enforcement utilized both cellphone data along with help from local river authority to control overflow from the reservoir into the river to aid in their search.

“My heart aches with this news,” the sheriff said following the gruesome discovery.

According to CNN, the suspect joined search efforts and was even seen knocking on doors asking for information on the girl’s whereabouts.

“To me, it simply tells me is that he’s trying to give the appearances that he has no play or he’s not at fault in her disappearance and that (he’s) part of the concerned parties who were trying to locate her,” Sheriff Lyons said on Tuesday.

Cunningham resided with her father and extended family, including her grandparents.

Per AP, McDougal has a prior criminal record that includes two felony counts of enticing a child.