Current:Home > ContactDon Steven McDougal indicted in murder, attempted kidnapping of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham -Thrive Money Mindset
Don Steven McDougal indicted in murder, attempted kidnapping of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham
View
Date:2025-04-24 23:58:26
A Texas grand jury indicted Don Steven McDougal on two counts of capital murder on Monday in the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, court documents showed.
McDougal, a family friend, was indicted in Polk County on charges of intentionally and knowingly causing the death of Audrii by blunt force trauma to the head with an unknown object and of causing her death while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping.
Audrii was reported missing after not boarding her neighborhood school bus on the morning of Feb. 15, CBS Texas reported. She was last seen near her home in Livingston, Texas, about 75 miles northeast of Houston.
McDougal was arrested the next day on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault, CBS Texas reported. He was then named as a person of interest in Audrii's disappearance after witnesses linked his dark blue Chevrolet Suburban to the case.
Audrii's body was found in the Trinity River on Feb. 20, about 10 miles from her home.
"She was perfection," Cassie Matthews, Audrii's mother, said about her daughter at a vigil held the day after Audrii's body was found. Family and friends gathered for the vigil wearing purple and carrying purple balloons as they prayed.
—Caitlin O'Kane contributed reporting.
S. DevS. Dev is a news editor for CBSNews.com.
veryGood! (69)
Related
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- New York judge lifts gag order that barred Donald Trump from maligning court staff in fraud trial
- Central Park carriage driver charged with animal abuse after horse collapsed and died
- 2 environmentalists who were targeted by a hacking network say the public is the real victim
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- A pregnant woman who was put on life support after a Missouri mall shooting has died, police say
- Boston pays $2.6M to Black police officers who alleged racial bias in hair tests for drug use
- 'Modern Family' reunion: See photos of the cast, including Sofía Vergara, Sarah Hyland
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- A family of 4 was found dead at Fort Stewart in Georgia, the Army says
Ranking
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- South Carolina deputy shot during chase by driver who was later wounded, sheriff says
- Families of 5 Minnesota men killed by police sue agency to force release of investigation files
- School resumes for 'Abbott Elementary': See when 'American Idol,' 'The Bachelor' premiere
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Medical experts are worried about climate change too. Here's how it can harm your health.
- Bengals QB Joe Burrow leaves game against Ravens in 2nd quarter with wrist injury
- 'Ted' the talking teddy bear is back in a new streaming series: Release date, cast, how to watch
Recommendation
'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
A pregnant woman who was put on life support after a Missouri mall shooting has died, police say
Cutting a teaspoon of salt is comparable to taking blood pressure medication
Boston public transit says $24.5 billion needed for repairs
B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move
A secret revealed after the tragic death of former NHL player Adam Johnson
Starbucks Red Cup Day is sheer stress for workers. We're going on strike because of it.