Texas police are continuing to question a man about the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl who was last seen walking to a school bus.
An eyewitness saw Audrii Cunningham near her home in Livingston, Texas, on the morning of February 15.
On February 17, authorities identified 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal of Livingston as a person of interest in Audrii’s disappearance.
Polk County Police Department, Texas
Police said in a statement that they believe his dark-colored Chevrolet Suburban was involved in Audrii’s disappearance.
McDougal lives in a trailer at the back of her house and has a previous conviction for trying to entice a child.
He was arrested for an unrelated assault the day after she disappeared and remains in police custody.
Police say they are keeping an open mind in the investigation.
Police Lieutenant Craig Cummings of the Polk County Department of Public Safety told a news conference on Monday that, while McDougal has previous convictions, he is not required to be on a sex offender register.
“We also want to address some rumors that have been circulating,” Cummings said.
“McDougal is not required to register as a sex offender. We would refer you to the various counties that prosecuted McDougal for inquiries regarding his criminal history. We also want to say that McDougal presides in a camper behind the residence where Audrii lives with her father, grandparents and other family,” KBTX TV in Texas reported.
Authorities say in 2008, McDougal was convicted of enticing a child in another county.
While McDougal is a person of interest in the investigation, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said they’re not ruling anyone else out.
“Mr. McDougal is our main person of interest, but we are not ruling anyone else out who might be involved. We are not honing in on just this one individual. We’re making sure that we’re covering all stones,” Lyons said at the same press conference.
On February 17, police released a statement stating that “investigators continue to actively follow leads and have identified 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal of Livingston as one of the persons of interest involved in the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham. McDougal was arrested yesterday by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault.”
Investigators believe that a dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban belonging to McDougal was involved in the disappearance and are asking for the public’s help in reporting any sightings of the vehicle on Thursday or Friday.
Also, yesterday a small backpack that likely belonged to a child was located near the Lake Livingston Dam.
This investigation remains active and ongoing. If you have any information related to the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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