Missing girl Audrii Cunningham's drenched backpack 'found' by dam where person of interest Don Steven McDougal led cops
Charlotte Adams
Published Sep 14, 2026
POTENTIAL evidence has been discovered in the search for missing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham.
Police said they located a small backpack that could have belonged to a child by a dam in Livingston, Texas, around 70 miles north of Houston.
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Cunningham was last seen when she left her house at 7 am to catch the school bus on Thursday, February 15, but she did not make it to the bus.
No arrests have been made in connection with Cunningham’s disappearance but cops have named a person of interest in the case.
Don Steven McDougal, a 42-year-old from Livingston, has been identified by police as a lead, according to a Facebook post by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
He was arrested on Friday in an unrelated aggravated assault case and remains in the Polk County Jail.
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A Polk County Sheriff, Byron Lyons, said McDougal was a friend of Cunningham’s father, according to ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.
McDougal was allowed to live in a trailer behind the family’s home, where the 11-year-old lived with her dad, grandparents, and other relatives.
The sheriff said McDougal confirmed that he had left the house with Cunningham on the morning of her disappearance but he did not say what happened afterwards.
Cops added that he had agreed to take the 11-year-old to her bus stop, which he had previously done in the past.
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The police also shared that investigators had found a small backpack by the Lake Livingston Dam, but they did not confirm who the bag belonged to.
Sheriff Lyons added that McDougal agreed to take cops to several locations, including the Dam, according to KTRK-TV.
Audrii Cunningham cops beg public for help & confirm person of interest Don Steven McDougal was last to see missing girlAn earlier police press release said Cunningham was last seen carrying a “Bright red ‘Hello Kitty’ style backpack,” according to a police press release on Facebook.
“Audrii was last seen wearing black pants, a black hoodie with white lettering, and black high-top tennis shoes,” the press release added.
Investigators also added that they believe a dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban, that belonged to McDougal, could have been involved in the incident.
They have asked the public to report any sighting of the car on Thursday or Friday to the police.
Cops have increased the reward for information from $7,000 to $10,000.
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