State and local officials in Polk County, Texas, give an update on an 11-year-old girl, Audrii Cunningham, who has been missing since Feb. 15.
Police in Texas are pleading for information on the whereabouts of an 11-year-old girl who vanished four days ago, as authorities said a car belonging to a man arrested on Friday may have been involved in the disappearance.
Audrii Cunningham was last seen near her home in Polk County, Texas, at 7 a.m. local time on Thursday. She was due to catch a bus, but officials reported that she did not board it or show up at school that day, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
An Amber Alert has been issued, with the sheriff's office collaborating with the Texas Rangers, the Department of Public Safety, the Livingston Police Department and multiple local fire departments.
Audrii is described as white and about 4 feet, 1 inch tall. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing black pants, a black hoodie with white lettering and black tennis shoes.
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Don Steven McDougal, 42, was arrested Friday on suspicion of aggravated assault, in what police said was an unrelated incident. The sheriff's office said he was "one of the persons of interest" involved in the case.
Detectives believe his dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban was involved in Audrii's disappearance and are appealing for anyone who saw it on Thursday or Friday to report it, the state Department of Public Safety for the Southeast Texas region said in a statement.
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A small backpack thought to belong to her was found at the Lake Livingston Dam, not far from the Cunningham family home.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 936-327-6810. Tips can be submitted anonymously via the Polk County Crime Stoppers line at 936-327-7867 or online at p3tips.com or iwatchtx.org.
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