Man Previously Convicted of Child Enticement Is Now a Person of Interest in Disappearance of 11-Year-Old Girl

Police arrested Don Steven McDougal on an unrelated charge a day after Audrii Cunningham went missing, according to authorities

• Audrii Cunningham, 11, was reported missing after she did not show up to school on Thursday, authorities say

• Police say Don Steven McDougal owns a vehicle that they believe could be tied to Audrii's disappearance

• McDougal has been convicted of child enticement in the past, according to multiple reports
  

Police in Texas have identified a person of interest in the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was reported missing after she did not show up to school on Thursday, according to authorities.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested Don Steven McDougal, 42, on an unrelated charge, the Texas Department of Public Safety - Southeast Texas Region said in a statement over the weekend. He was charged with aggravated assault for an unrelated incident on Friday, jail records show.

McDougal is "one of the persons of interest" in the disappearance of Audrii, authorities say. The sheriff's office did not comment on how many persons of interest they have identified so far in the investigation.

Audrii was last seen near her residence at about 7 a.m. local time on Thursday in Livingston, Texas, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release early Friday morning.

“Audrii should have caught the school bus at her neighborhood bus stop; however, school officials reported to the Sheriff’s Office that the school bus did not pick Audrii up, nor did she report to school,” the release reads.

Authorities said in the updated statement that they believe a dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban belonging to McDougal is tied to Audrii’s disappearance. They are asking for the public’s help in reporting any sightings of the vehicle on Thursday or Friday.

Police also located “a small backpack that likely belonged to a child” near the Lake Livingston Dam, per the statement. Audrii was carrying a bright red “Hello Kitty” backpack at the time of her disappearance, but police did not specify anything further about the backpack they recovered.

McDougal has past convictions for enticement of a child, FOX 26, KHOU 11 and Click 2 Houston report, citing court records.

Audrii's mother, Cassie Matthews, believes McDougal may be a friend of Audrii's father, per FOX 26.

Related: Amber Alert for Texas Girl, 11, Who Didn't Get on School Bus Thursday

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The sheriff’s office describes Audrii as “a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes. She weighs 75 pounds and is approximately 4-foot-1-inch tall."

She was last seen wearing black pants, a black hoodie with white lettering, and black high-top tennis shoes, the sheriff’s office said.

“Sheriff Lyons asks that anyone with information in this case to immediately contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, at 936-327-6810,” the press release states. A $7,000 reward "for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for Audrii’s disappearance" is also being offered, according to the release.

The Texas Department of Public Safety sent out an Amber Alert to residents across Texas late Thursday night, according to local ABC 13. The Austin American-Statesman reported that authorities believe the 11 year old is in grave or immediate danger.

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