POLK COUNTY – Audrii Cunningham hasn’t been seen since Thursday morning, and investigators said 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal is likely the last person who saw her that day.
He is the main person of interest in Cunningham’s disappearance and is currently in the Polk County Jail on an unrelated charge although investigators says they haven’t ruled anyone out.
SEE ALSO: Person of interest spent time in prison for sexual contact with young girl
On Tuesday, crews were back at the Trinity River Boat Ramp off U.S. 59 searching for the little girl.
KPRC 2 Reporter Re’Chelle Turner saw several emergency vehicles including officials from Liberty County, The Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Eqqusearch, and a dive unit from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
From night to day, the search for 11-year-old Audrii continues.
“I’m hoping and praying that she is still alive. I am not giving up hope that we will be able to bring Audrii home,” Sheriff Byron Lyons said.
Crews are using drones, and boats to search water and land for the little girl.
Investigators say McDougal admitted to leaving the house with her but he hasn’t said whether or not she made it to the bus. But the sheriff says he has provided some clues.
“He agreed to work with us and has taken us to certain locations,” the sheriff said.
McDougal lived in a camper behind Audrii’s father and grandmother’s home and sometimes took her to the bus stop or school if she missed it.
“He was a friend of the family, a friend of the father, and he was allowed to live there in a trailer behind the house,” the sheriff said.
McDougal, who has a lengthy criminal history, was previously convicted of enticing a child in Brazoria County, records obtained by KPRC 2 show.
In March 2007, McDougal allegedly attempted to engage in sexual contact with a girl under the age of 17.
According to a grand jury indictment, McDougal removed another female from the bed where the victim was sleeping before he got in the bed with the victim and “(pulled) her pajama bottoms and panties down.”
A Brazoria County grand jury indicted him in July 2007 and his bond was set at $25,000 at the time.
The sheriff was asked what else he needs in order to charge McDougal as a suspect in Audrii’s disappearance.
“We must not jump to conclusions. We want to make sure that we take all the evidence that we have collected. Yes, he may have been the last person with her and yes she is missing at this time but we want to make sure that whatever evidence we collect and that we place on an affidavit today is going to be something that holds in court later,” he said.
RELATED:
- Missing Livingston’s Audrii Cunningham never made it to school; When do districts notify parents?
- Person of interest spent time in prison for sexual contact with young girl
- What we know about ‘person of interest’ in case of missing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham
- Person of interest was last person to see 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham morning of her disappearance
- Prayer service held for missing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham from Livingston