A family friend is charged with murder in the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham in Texas

1 of 14 |

Divers have recovered the body of an 11-year-old girl from a Texas river days after she went missing. Authorities say they are preparing to file a murder charge against the suspect, who authorities say is a friend of the girl’s father. (Feb. 20)

2 of 14 |

FILE - Kristlyn Wood, a cousin of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, reacts during a vigil in Cunningham’s honor, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. As mourners prepare for the funeral of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was killed near Houston, the community wants answers about how the suspect in her death was allowed to remain free despite a long criminal history of violence. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)

3 of 14 |

Cassie Matthews is comforted after speaking at a vigil in honor of her 11-year-old daughter, Audrii Cunningham, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. Cunningham’s family reported her missing Thursday, Feb. 15, when she failed to return to her Livingston home after school. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, search teams found her body in the Trinity River in a rural area north of Houston about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from her home, according to the capital murder criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Don Steven McDougal, a family friend accused of killing the young girl. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

4 of 14 |

A purple flower is seen during a vigil in honor of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. Cunningham’s family reported her missing Thursday, Feb. 15, when she failed to return to her Livingston home after school. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, search teams found her body in the Trinity River in a rural area north of Houston about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from her home, according to the capital murder criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Don Steven McDougal, a family friend accused of killing the young girl. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

5 of 14 |

Community members gather for a vigil in honor of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. Cunningham’s family reported her missing Thursday, Feb. 15, when she failed to return to her Livingston home after school. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, search teams found her body in the Trinity River in a rural area north of Houston about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from her home, according to the capital murder criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Don Steven McDougal, a family friend accused of killing the young girl. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

6 of 14 |

Cassie Matthews speaks at a vigil in honor of her 11-year-old daughter, Audrii Cunningham, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. Cunningham’s family reported her missing Thursday, Feb. 15, when she failed to return to her Livingston home after school. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, search teams found her body in the Trinity River in a rural area north of Houston about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from her home, according to the capital murder criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Don Steven McDougal, a family friend accused of killing the young girl. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

7 of 14 |

The Trinity River is seen near where law enforcement found the body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. Divers have recovered the body Cunningham days after the girl went missing, and authorities are preparing to file a murder charge against a friend of her father who lived on her family’s property, a sheriff said Tuesday afternoon. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

8 of 14 |

Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton speaks as she and other law enforcement officials announce that the body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was found in Trinity River near her home in Livingston, Texas, during a press conference, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Livingston. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

9 of 14 |

Polk County Sheriff Bryon Lyons speaks as he and other law enforcement officials announce Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Livingston, Texas, that the body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham had been found in the Trinity River near her home. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

10 of 14 |

People listen during a news conference at which authorities announced that the body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham had been found in the Trinity River, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

11 of 14 |

Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton, left, speaks alongside Sheriff Byron Lyons, right, as she and other law enforcement officials announce that the body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was found in the Trinity River near her home, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Livingston, Texas (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

12 of 14 |

The Trinity River is seen near where law enforcement found the body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Livingston, Texas. Divers have recovered the body of Cunningham from the Texas river days after the girl went missing, and authorities are preparing to file a murder charge against a friend of her father who lived on her family’s property, a sheriff said Tuesday afternoon. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

13 of 14 |

This undated photo released by the Texas Dept. of Public Safety shows Audrii Cunningham. Texas authorities said Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, they were planning to give the public “significant” updates in the search for 11-year-old Cunningham, who has been missing since she failed to get on a bus for school last week. (Texas Dept. of Public Safety via AP)

14 of 14 |

FILE -This undated photo released by the Polk County Jail shows Don Steven McDougal of Livingston, Texas. McDougal has been named as one of the persons of interest involved in the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham. As mourners prepare for the funeral of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was killed near Houston, the community wants answers about how McDougal, the suspect in her death was allowed to remain free despite a long criminal history of violence.(Polk County Jail via AP, File)

By JAMIE STENGLE

A family friend accused of killing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was supposed to take the Texas girl to her school bus stop when they left her home in his vehicle nearly a week before authorities found her body in a river, according to court documents released Wednesday.

A large rock was tied to her body when search teams found it Tuesday in the Trinity River in a rural area north of Houston about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from her home, according to the capital murder criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Don Steven McDougal.

Audrii’s family reported her missing on Feb. 15 when she failed to return to her Livingston home after school. Investigators discovered that she never got on the bus to go to school that morning.

McDougal, 42, lived in a camper on the family’s property near the shore of Lake Livingston and had previously taken Audrii to the bus stop or to school when she missed the bus, according to Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.

McDougal was arrested Friday on an unrelated assault charge and it was not clear if he had an attorney who could comment on the capital murder case. The justice of the peace who released the complaint did not know if McDougal had hired an attorney yet but said he had indicated he did not want a court-appointed lawyer.

Not PARSE.LY: Texas

The Supreme Court is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Alito’s dissent in deportation case says court rushed to block Trump with middle-of-the night order

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, left, joined by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testifies as the House Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on worldwide threats, at the Capitol, in Washington, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Countries shore up their digital defenses as global tensions raise the threat of cyberwarfare

A woman is reflected in a picture as she looks at a makeshift memorial at the scene of a mass shooting at a shopping complex Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Man who fatally shot 23 at El Paso Walmart set to plead guilty to murder nearly 6 years on

A backpack that authorities believe belonged to the child was found Friday near the Lake Livingston dam. That lake is one of the state’s largest reservoirs and was created with a dam on the Trinity River.

Lyons has said there is “substantial evidence” in the case. He said cellphone data was used to help identify places to look and that the local river authority slowed down the outflow of the reservoir to help search teams that were in the water.

“My heart aches with this news,” Lyons said Tuesday.

Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton has not said whether her office will seek the death penalty.

Audrii lived with her father, grandparents and other family members, authorities said.

Court records from Brazoria County, south of Houston, show McDougal pleaded no contest in 2008 to two felony counts of enticing a child and was sentenced to two years in prison.

The sheriff said Audrii’s body was taken to the Harris County medical examiner’s office in Houston to determine the cause of death.

A candlelight vigil was held for Audrii on Wednesday evening in Livingston on the grounds of an outdoor venue.

___

Associated Press writer Sean Murphy contributed to this report from Oklahoma City.

___

The name of the girl who was killed has been corrected in the headline to Audrii Cunningham, instead of Audrii McDougal.