LIVINGSTON, Texas – A lot has happened in the past year since Audrii Cunningham disappeared.
The body of the 11-year-old girl from Livingston, Texas was found, her killer charged and just before the anniversary, he accepted a plea deal to spend the rest of his life in prison.
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But if you ask Audrii’s family, they’ll tell you it’s simply been a whirlwind.
“Emotional. Crazy,” said Audrii’s grandmother, Tabitha Munsch. “It’s been such a whirlwind of emotion and chaos.”
Audrii Cunningham, just 11 years old, was supposed to be at school on February 15, 2024. She never made it to the bus stop.
That was the first of many red flags throughout the day.
When she never came home from school, her grandparents, who she lived with, called 911 to report her missing. By the time the small town of Livingston, Texas went to sleep, an AMBER Alert was issued for Audrii.
Over the next five days, law enforcement from around Southeast Texas and even the federal government swarmed the quaint, lake community.
It didn’t take long for investigators to hone their investigation in on a family friend living in a trailer behind Audrii’s grandparent’s home: 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal.
The man had a storied past, with a lengthy criminal history, but never registered as a sexual offender.
Audrii’s grandparents, people of faith, gave McDougal a second chance at life to start over.
After becoming the sole suspect in Audrii’s disappearance, he was formally charged with Capital Murder following the discovery of Audrii’s remains, which were weighted down in the Trinity River.
“I mean, he was a predator. He never mentioned any history of sexual offense,” said Audrii’s grandfather, Philip Munsch. “We checked the registry. A close friend of his had recommended he ask us for some help. He didn’t know about the charge either. You know that’s the sad part.”
McDougal was arrested and charged with indecency with a child in 2007 in Brazoria County. However, he pleaded the charge down to enticing a child, a third-degree felony, in which he wasn’t required to register as a sex offender.
This is a loophole in the law that Audrii’s family didn’t spot until it was too late.
“This loophole failed her. It failed Audrii. God knows how many other kids it’s failing or has failed,” Tabitha said.
Thanks to the help of Crime Stoppers of Houston, the family is working alongside State Rep. Trent Ashby to push ‘Audrii’s Law’ or HB 2000.
Texas HB 2000 - Audrii's Law by Gage Goulding on Scribd
The law aims to close the loophole and stop any other children from being victimized.
“Basically, the gist of the bill is anyone that’s convicted of an offense in which there’s a sexual element like a child grooming, which is what State Representative Ashby has filed will be now required to register as a sex offender,” said Andy Kahn of Crime Stoppers of Houston. “But the important thing is what can we do to prevent this from happening in the future and keep more Audrii Cunningham’s from happening and passing this law, Audrey’s law, will do that.”
McDougal agreed to a plea deal that his attorneys presented to prosecutors earlier this year. On January 17, McDougal accepted a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
‘Audrii’s Law’ will continue to pass through Austin as lawmakers prepare to vote on the law later this year.
