The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says they were made aware on Nov. 11 of the exploitation and physical assault of the disabled inmate by the group of inmates. 14 felony warrants were issued as part of the investigation, which led to the arrest of six individuals, including one who was outside the jail.

Check out the rainfall from across our area

Human remains found in Kentucky have been positively identified as the man who shot 12 vehicles and wounded five people on Interstate 75 more than a week earlier.

As authorities search for a highway shooter in Kentucky, a Friday night tradition of football, pep bands and grandstands of cheering fans has been sidelined for some towns.

A forensic portrait of Audrii Cunningham, the 11-year-old Polk County girl who was murdered in February, has been unveiled at Livingston Junior High.

When disaster strikes, Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy takes command of her county’s emergency communication channels, including a text service and Facebook page.

One of the most wanted sex offenders in the state of Texas has been captured in Polk County, officials announced.

In Houston, discharged patients remain in an arena to avoid powerless homes. Some 70 miles north, Livingston’s hospital is one of 17 in the state relying on a generator because of Hurricane Beryl power outages.

The associate pastor of Life Vine Church in Livingston gives KPRC 2′s Reporter Rilwan Balogun and Photojournalist Wlad Moquete a tour of the church’s fellowship hall.

Construction crews are working around the clock to make repairs to the Lake Livingston Dam after near-historic rainfall caused damage to the dam.

Value.Space uses satellites to assess risks to infrastructure.

Nearly a week after the Trinity River Authority declared a “potential failure watch” for the Lake Livingston Dam, we’re learning about the damage done during flooding earlier this year.

The Trinity River Authority of Texas has advised people to be aware of a potential dam failure at the Lake Livingston Dam.

The plans, which are required by the federal government to access certain grants after a natural disaster, are laborious to assemble — especially for rural counties.

Residents in parts of northeast Harris County are now under a boil water notice after officials said there was a loss of pressure within the water system due to some unexpected issues following construction.

A man accused of shooting someone in Trinity County early Tuesday afternoon has been captured following a brief manhunt.

TxDOT says it can’t guarantee that upgrades to one of Houston’s main hurricane evacuation routes will prevent future flooding of U.S. 59.

An arrest warrant is revealing what happened before a 25-year-old mother of five was allegedly killed by her boyfriend in Polk County.

On Sunday, Bowman learned her daughter was reported missing. Her boyfriend, 23-year-old De’Andre Wright, called his mother to pick him up.

The Spencer Solves It team and an anonymous donor have done it again!

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to be on the lookout for a wanted murder suspect.

East Texans tried to reach their homes by boat and kayaks Saturday. Others remained pessimistic that the water would recede soon.

Dozens of evacuees, including the elderly and barefoot children, crowded in an old school building Friday, praying for clear skies on Monday.

The Lake Livingston Water Supply Corp. has issued a boil water notice for several neighborhoods near Lake Livingston due to intense weather that slammed the area this week.

The Pine Hills apartments are in an area already severely impacted by flooding.

Parts of Harris County, including The Woodlands, were under flood warnings Thursday.

“I broke down in the end,” the man said. “We have a baby on the way, and we just lost everything.”

Heavy rains and major flood waters continue to impact the Livingston area.

East Texas has been hit by several severe rainstorms this spring, and several counties have declared disasters.

Heavy rains and severe flooding have prompted officials in Polk County to issue a mandatory evacuation for certain low-lying areas along the Trinity River. One family says they learned the hard way this morning. They say they could’ve lost their lives if it wasn’t for the help of their furry companion.

The statue stolen from a Livingston restaurant has been returned to its rightful owner.

The family of Audrii Cunningham, the 11-year-old Livingston girl found dead in the Trinity River, says the man they let stay on their property lied to them while Audrii was missing.

Audrii Cunningham's family sat down with KPRC 2 for the nearly hour-long interview, where they talked about Audrii’s life, who she was, what she liked to do and who she wanted to be.

The Livingston Police Department is investigating the theft of a statue from a local restaurant.

The father of Audrii Cunningham along with her grandmother have released a statement after her body was found in the Trinity River on Tuesday.

KPRC 2 has obtained an audio recording of the Polk County Sheriff, appearing to admit the ball was dropped in a previous criminal investigation involving Audrii’s suspected killer, Don Steven McDougal.

Six months before Steven McDougal was charged with capital murder in 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham’s death, court documents show he was accused of stabbing a man in Livingston. Attorney David Feldman represents the victim. He said it all started in August when a woman knocked on his client’s door.

The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office has released 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham’s cause of death.

The search and outcome of 11-year old Audrii Cunningham’s case has been heartbreaking for family, friends and the community but it can also have a lasting impact on the emergency responders and volunteers who spent days trying to find her.

Don Steven McDougal is no stranger to jail.

Those who have kids in the Livingston Independent School district might be interested in a refresher on what the district’s bus safety policies are.

he Livingston community will be remembering Audrii Cunnigham on Wednesday in the wake of her tragic death.

Authorities said a person of interest in the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was arrested Friday on an unrelated charge.

The five-day search for missing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham ended Tuesday when her body was found in the Trinity River. The Polk County Sheriff's office says they're building a capital murder case against the prime suspect in her death, Don Steven McDougal.

Divers have recovered the body of an 11-year-old girl from a Texas river days after she went missing, and authorities say they are preparing to file a murder charge against a friend of the girl's father.

The body of missing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, the Livingston girl at center of an AMBER Alert, has been found in Trinity River on Tuesday.

KPRC 2, KPRC 2+, and click2houston.com sent out a form to all area school districts. We wanted to know districts’ policies for notifying a parent/guardian when a child is absent from school.

It is now day four of the search for missing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham from Livingston.

A prayer service is being held Sunday for Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl from Livingston who’s been missing since Thursday.

Authorities said a person of interest in the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was arrested Friday on an unrelated charge.

The mother of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, whose disappearance Thursday prompted the issuance of an Amber Alert, shared what she knew about the search for her daughter Friday.

Officials with Livingston Police are actively searching for an 11-year-old girl last seen at her home Thursday morning.

Convicted of killing his cousin and his cousin’s fiancée, the death row inmate hopes recanted testimony and other new details spur a review of his case.

Multiple school districts in the Houston area are canceling after-school activities as severe weather persists Monday.

Two men have been charged in connection with the death of another man who was found outside in Polk County, according to detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver of the 18-wheeler that hit and killed a 15-year-old Livingston ISD student has since been charged, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

A Livingston ISD student was fatally struck by an 18-wheeler just as they were getting off a school bus.

Livingston and Jasper residents hope a lawsuit will force their municipality-operated utility company to offer lower rates and create more transparency in setting rates. They’re among the 5 million Texans living outside the state’s deregulated market and cannot choose their energy provider.

Racial achievement gaps in math have worsened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptions to learning.

The rain continues to pour down in the Houston area this Thursday.

Episcopal is off to an even better start than expected this year, which speaks volumes considering how high the bar was already set for the SPC program.

An officer was reportedly involved in a shooting in Livingston on Sunday night. Preliminary details state that the shooting occurred at an Exxon service station on Pan American Drive.

Millie Thompson Williams was elected the tribe’s first female second chief, a lifetime appointment, last year. For the first time, her accession comes as women make up the majority of the tribe’s council.

Two inmates who escaped a prisoner bus Friday afternoon with a firearm near Livingston have been captured, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

An Amber Alert has been issued for a 14-day-old baby who was last seen at 2:41 p.m. in Livingston.

A man was arrested and charged after police said he left his 9-month-old baby in a shed and took off in a stolen vehicle in Livingston Saturday.

The family of an 8-year-old boy who is diagnosed with Autism expressed concern over services offered to students with intellectual challenges after they said a teacher mishandled their son during an emotional outburst.

The state of Alaska has issued a corrected birth certificate for the teenage designer of the Alaska flag after researchers looking into his heritage found records indicating he was born more than a year earlier than previously believed.

Federal investigators say a helicopter rotated out of control before crashing in East Texas, killing a passenger and injuring the pilot and two other passengers.

Here are things to know for Friday, Dec. 31:

Ronnie Alexander is a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Paxton sued the local officials for refusing to end the mandate after Gov. District Judge Lora Livingston has yet to issue a final ruling on the merits of the case, meaning Austin and Travis officials may later be told to comply with state officials. Ad“I've been doing everything that I can to protect the health and safety of people in Travis County,” Brown said in an interview. However, this was not the case in Travis County where officials said they would continue to require public mask use. Therefore, masks remained required in Travis County in the meantime.

Austin and Travis County officials can continue enforcing their mask mandates after a district judge delayed action on the Texas attorney general’s request to immediately stop the mandates. That means city and county officials can continue to require masks until at least March 26, when District Judge Lora Livingston will hold a trial. "I told Travis County and the City of Austin to comply with state mask law. Travis County Judge Andy Brown counts the two-week delay as a win. The pandemic has especially impacted Texans of color — including in El Paso where Paxton previously blocked a county judge from ordering non-essential businesses to shut down.

“This new evidence shows that the jab protects you, and protects those around you,’’ U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. More than 17.5 million have received one vaccine dose so far — more than a third of the U.K.'s adult population. Overall, hospitalizations and death should be reduced by over 75% after one dose of the vaccine, Public Health England said. The Scotland study was conducted by scientists at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde and Public Health Scotland. Because hospitalization data was collected 28 days after inoculation, the data on hospital admissions came from a subset of 220,000 people who received the Pfizer vaccine and 45,000 who got the AstraZeneca shot.

The Chapel Hill Bulldogs took down Livingston in the first round of the postseason 49-37. The Lions were back in the postseason for the first time in seven years as coach Finis Vanover is moving the program in the right direction. Jeff Riordan is also building his Chapel Hill program after coming over from Crosby. Check out the gallery by Andy Tolbert.

Five wins, outscoring opponents 130-61, later, capping the year with a 21-20 victory over previously undefeated Huffman last week, the Lions were 8-2 overall and outright District 10-4A-DI Champions. "It makes all the difference in the world in everybody's attitude and everybody's energy," Livingston third-year head coach Finis Vanover said. "We followed the same plan just like we were opening a new school," Vanover said. In 10 games, Livingston surrendered a total of 181 points, the most being 36 to Needville in the season opener, which was a one-point loss. Two years ago, Livingston gave up - Vanover's first season - the Lions' defense gave up 507 points.

District 10-4A-DIVYPE Preseason AwardsMVP: Zane Obregon, SplendoraOffensive MVP: Damien Ruiz, LivingstonDefensive MVP: Caleb Pierson, HuffmanBreakout Player of the Year: Quentin Root, VidorSleeper Team: Little Cypress-Mauriceville... This grouping brings back a lot of defensive prowess along with some new signal-callers to step in under center. Vidor makes the move down from District 12-5A-DII to Class 4A, making them a clear favorite to win this district. Defensively, Jordan Smith was the Newcomer of the Year for the district and will be one to watch on the DL. Offensively, Trenton Conn will tote the rock for the Pirates, while Quentin Root has returned to the pirate ship to play QB.

Vidor PiratesVidor makes the move down from District 12-5A-DII to Class 4A, making them a clear favorite to win this district. First-team, all-district wide receiver Luke Thomas will make the move to quarterback in 2020. Jagger Kennedy, who made first-team, all-district as a receiver, will shift into the starting quarterback role for 2020. QB Drake Boykin returns for his senior year after earning second-team, all-district honors in 2019. Also returning are first-team DB Julian Gardner, who also plays receiver, and second-teamers DB Chris Washington, DT LaDanian Walker and P Dustin Heflin.

ONALASKA, Texas – At least 20 people were injured and three people were killed after a tornado ripped through multiple neighborhoods in Onalaska in Polk County Wednesday evening, according to the Polk County Office of Emergency Management. Polk County subdivisions hit hardest by tornado (Polk County Emergency Management, Texas)National Weather Service storm spotter Ian Shelton told KPRC 2 he started chasing the storm in the early afternoon. Multiple agencies including the Texas Department of Public Safety, the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are enforcing blockades, assessing damage and helping residents in the area, Shelton said. VIDEO: Residents describe terrifying moments they saw a tornado touch down in Polk County WednesdayShelters:Polk County Emergency Management said anyone who might need shelter is asked to go to Dunbar Gym in Livingston as the schools in Onalaska have lost power. Posted by Polk County Emergency Management, Texas on Wednesday, April 22, 2020Gov.

CYPRESS, Texas – The line of storms moved through the area pretty quickly Thursday evening, but they still managed to pack quite a punch in some parts. A power pole toppled on the Crosby Freeway, blocking one lane of traffic. @SheriffEd_HCSO @HCSOTexas @HCSOPatrol @HCSO_D3Patrol pic.twitter.com/iT8U5GBuqh — Captain J. Shannon (@HCSO_NightShift) April 10, 2020Another spot in the storm’s crosshairs was Livingston where a tree toppled into a home although no one was hurt. “All the tree and all the roof right now is in my living room,” said Jesus Valentin, a Cypress homeowner. “Thank God, my wife she’s alive because it’s like right there you know in our living room.” Valentin said.

HOUSTON – The principal of Livingston High School Academy resigned and a teacher was fired after an audit revealed that students were admitted to the academy fraudulently and that teacher was helping students cheat, according to a press release from the Livingston Independent School District. The audit, which was conducted at the direction of the LISD superintendent, revealed “substantial admission and academic policy violations,” at the academy, the school district wrote. “The campus principal resigned when presented with the investigative findings, which revealed that students were fraudulently admitted into the Academy that did not meet at-risk criteria and/or were not Livingston residents,” district officials wrote. “This resulted in students accelerating through classes required for graduation at astronomical speed, some completing entire semester courses in mere minutes and an entire high school curriculum in weeks,” the district wrote. Livingston High School Academy is an alternative education program that creates alternative routes to graduation for students who have not been successful in a traditional school setting, according to the school’s website.

HOUSTON – One-tank trips can take you from Houston to some pretty amazing places. Distance from Houston to Livingston: 74 milesAbout an hour outside of Houston, Livingston is a short and easy one-tank trip. This small town serves as a great pit stop if you are trying to break up your drive north or just escape the city for the day. Polk County Memorial MuseumIf you are looking for more of an educational experience, the Polk County Memorial Museum offers a unique perspective of the history of Polk County. Pit Row Pit StopFor those who want some fun and a hearty diner meal on the way through Livingston, be sure to stop at the Pit Row Pit Stop.