Found Deceased 11-year-old Livingston, TX Girl - Audrii Cunningham - *ARREST* #2

[PommyMommy]

Updated FEB 28, 2024

'We are being attacked' | Audrii Cunningham's father's family releases statement with hopes criticism will stop

The family said Audrii's death occurred at the hands of a 'monster' they thought was a friend.

www.13wmaz.com

The family's focus now -- laying Audrii to rest and changing laws to close the loophole in sex offender registry laws.

Audrii's family hopes by starting to comment publicly, that the attacks on social media will start to die down. At some point next week, Munsch said they do plan to do interviews and answer questions in person.

 

[Kudzuu]

Yes! It conjures up images of a creepy guy asking kids to help him search for his lost dog, or to come and see the puppies in his van.

Enticing a child surely couldn't mean anything other than trying to entice them away for nefarious purposes, in which case it should be a much more serious charge than it appears to be.

I don't understand how that is what he was charged with either, he wasn't trying to entice the child to do something, he was attempting to SA her

JMO

I'm guessing he had a plea down to enticement because he did not achieve his goal of SA. Take the lesser charge of a slap on the wrist. MOO.

 

[Kudzuu]

Right, as we know he had a proclivity toward children, that may have been his private agenda which they ( may) have been oblivious to. If he’d been engaging her unwillingly in something, she strikes me as the type of child to stay silent: Anything to keep the adults in her life happy. Be “the little mother of the household” and don’t rock the boat.

So my question is, why did he kill her?

IMO he killed her once he'd finished with her and didn't want to take the chance she might tell what happened. He's probably dumb enough to think they'd never find her at the bottom of a lake. MOO

 

[seasideForest]

I've just watched this and it is heartbreaking to hear Audrii's mother.

Contrary to what has been supposed by some here and I'm sure in social media, A's mother doesn't sound incompetent or on drugs or 'bad' in some way. She obviously cared and cares about her daughter and is devastated. What she says all makes sense to me too. Doesn't sound crazy or illogical to me.

She mentions having had manic/depressive disorder and anxiety since way back, I think since her teens and the one mistake she made was to allow herself to be bullied by Audrii's father and his family into believing they had a better home for Audrii. She didn't say but I imagine they didn't bother telling her they'd make contact between her and Audrii really difficult to the point of impossible. Why didn't she get legal help for contacting Audrii? She wasn't asked and didn't say. But I'm sure there is a good reason. Or maybe she tried even? We don't know.

I don't want to totally derail this, but I can say from experience that having a psychological disorder doesn't necessarily make you incapable of looking after a child. In some cases, it will. In other cases 24/7 could be difficult, especially as a single parent, but visits the way Audrii's mother wanted - no problem. Especially if you compare it to the way Audrii's father and family did not look out for her. MOO

I didn't always especially like the way the interviewer conducted the interview. She interrupted Audrii's mother a few times to get more questions in. Audrii's mother was possibly taking 'too long' to respond in the eyes of the interviewer but imho it was because she was so upset, trying to get her thoughts together etc. MOO JMO

I recommend listening to this interview, it's about 25 minutes long.

 

[arielilane]

Andy Kahan, director of victim services and advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston, is actively pushing for change on this matter.

"I've already been in touch with several state senators and state representatives who, like everyone else, was just horrified and dumbfounded that this wasn't already an offense that you had to register," he said.

More than 25 pieces of legislation have been passed, backed by Kahan. Legislation drafted in the case of Cunningham should receive bipartisan support, with right language.

"Enticing a child encompasses a variety of different actions. So, the language that we're going to have to specifically focus is where there is a conviction of enticing a child, where there's obviously a sexual notation to the offense, which was obvious in this particular case," Kahan said.

In the meantime, Kahan encourages everybody to reach out to their local state representatives and state senators.

"Say, we want to get Audrii's law passed," he said.

Kahan said he working with state lawmakers to draft a bill that will be introduced next legislative session in January 2025.

Victim advocates hope Audrii Cunningham's death will enact change in Texas law
February 24, 2024

 

[branmuffin]

I've just watched this and it is heartbreaking to hear Audrii's mother.

Contrary to what has been supposed by some here and I'm sure in social media, A's mother doesn't sound incompetent or on drugs or 'bad' in some way. She obviously cared and cares about her daughter and is devastated. What she says all makes sense to me too. Doesn't sound crazy or illogical to me.

She mentions having had manic/depressive disorder and anxiety since way back, I think since her teens and the one mistake she made was to allow herself to be bullied by Audrii's father and his family into believing they had a better home for Audrii. She didn't say but I imagine they didn't bother telling her they'd make contact between her and Audrii really difficult to the point of impossible. Why didn't she get legal help for contacting Audrii? She wasn't asked and didn't say. But I'm sure there is a good reason. Or maybe she tried even? We don't know.

I don't want to totally derail this, but I can say from experience that having a psychological disorder doesn't necessarily make you incapable of looking after a child. In some cases, it will. In other cases 24/7 could be difficult, especially as a single parent, but visits the way Audrii's mother wanted - no problem. Especially if you compare it to the way Audrii's father and family did not look out for her. MOO

I didn't always especially like the way the interviewer conducted the interview. She interrupted Audrii's mother a few times to get more questions in. Audrii's mother was possibly taking 'too long' to respond in the eyes of the interviewer but imho it was because she was so upset, trying to get her thoughts together etc. MOO JMO

I recommend listening to this interview, it's about 25 minutes long.

So I broke down and watched this video breaking a cardinal rule I have about NG. But I'm glad I did. Audrii's mom is going to be a wrecking ball when the time comes and there will be lots of damage to responsible parties. She is incredibly strong and she's doing it all for Audrii. A murdered child is a great motivator for a parent to lobby for change.

Just think of all the laws that have been created because of the murder or abduction of vulnerable individuals: Amber Alert, Marsy's Law, Megan's Law, Jessica's Law, Caylee's Law and the Adam Walsh Protection Act. There's many more. All those laws and kids are still vulnerable when they should have been safe.

One thing concerns me, though, and that's the FB message she got from DSM asking to meet up so she could see Audrii. That happened on the Wednesday before Audrii was reported missing. I always thought that was a false flag and that Audrii was already dead and DSM was trying to do exactly what Audrii's mom said: try to pin a murder/suicide on her. Yet it's been said by LE that Audrii was seen around 7 am on the day she went missing but she didn't get on the school bus. Who provided that detail? Was it a family member or an independent observer who waited at the bus stop with their own child on the morning of the 15th?

 

[SMK777]

One thing concerns me, though, and that's the FB message she got from DSM asking to meet up so she could see Audrii. That happened on the Wednesday before Audrii was reported missing. I always thought that was a false flag and that Audrii was already dead and DSM was trying to do exactly what Audrii's mom said: try to pin a murder/suicide on her. Yet it's been said by LE that Audrii was seen around 7 am on the day she went missing but she didn't get on the school bus. Who provided that detail? Was it a family member or an independent observer who waited at the bus stop with their own child on the morning of the 15th?

SNIPPED FOR FOCUS:
Yes, important question that has been bothering me as well. Did grandma say that, just repeating what DSM told her? Maybe she was asleep, and rather than admit that, took his word for it.

 

[NanZDrew]

SNIPPED FOR FOCUS:
Yes, important question that has been bothering me as well. Did grandma say that, just repeating what DSM told her? Maybe she was asleep, and rather than admit that, took his word for it.

I believe some of the cameras in the area picked up video of her.

 

[Eloise]

I've just watched this and it is heartbreaking to hear Audrii's mother.

Contrary to what has been supposed by some here and I'm sure in social media, A's mother doesn't sound incompetent or on drugs or 'bad' in some way. She obviously cared and cares about her daughter and is devastated. What she says all makes sense to me too. Doesn't sound crazy or illogical to me.

She mentions having had manic/depressive disorder and anxiety since way back, I think since her teens and the one mistake she made was to allow herself to be bullied by Audrii's father and his family into believing they had a better home for Audrii. She didn't say but I imagine they didn't bother telling her they'd make contact between her and Audrii really difficult to the point of impossible. Why didn't she get legal help for contacting Audrii? She wasn't asked and didn't say. But I'm sure there is a good reason. Or maybe she tried even? We don't know.

I don't want to totally derail this, but I can say from experience that having a psychological disorder doesn't necessarily make you incapable of looking after a child. In some cases, it will. In other cases 24/7 could be difficult, especially as a single parent, but visits the way Audrii's mother wanted - no problem. Especially if you compare it to the way Audrii's father and family did not look out for her. MOO

I didn't always especially like the way the interviewer conducted the interview. She interrupted Audrii's mother a few times to get more questions in. Audrii's mother was possibly taking 'too long' to respond in the eyes of the interviewer but imho it was because she was so upset, trying to get her thoughts together etc. MOO JMO

I recommend listening to this interview, it's about 25 minutes long.

Agree, from me she has all the empathy in the world. This didn't happen under her watch and even if she and the dad had shared physical custody this still could have happened when it was dad's turn so I don't see any merit in blaming the parent that wasn't custodial. It was up to the GM and Dad to protect her when she was at their house IMO JMO. Sometimes a temporary solution that seems right becomes permanent before you even realise what's happening. Also, you have to "play nice" when it comes to seeing your kids when courts and authorities are involved. We don't know what happened along the way and maybe we never will.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 1, 2024

Funeral services for Audrii Cunningham begin this weekend

Memorial services begin Friday in Polk County for 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham.

cw39.com

Anyone can come by and pay their respects to Audrii at her visitation, which starts at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon at the First Baptist Church in Livingston. Those paying their respects are asked to wear purple, Audrii’s favorite color.

A private rosary and funeral will take place at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Saturday.

 

[arielilane]

@crimeonlinenews

Listen to the latest from #BodyBags: A Rope, A Rock, and A River:
The Death of #AudriiCunningham: https://spoti.fi/3VdAtXB

 

[arielilane]

An isolated case... possibly not, unfortunately. moo


State Rep. Trent Ashby, a Republican who represents Livingston, said in a statement that he is committed to making the change during the state’s next legislative session in 2025.

“I am deeply troubled by the notion that a legal loophole may have allowed a monster to carry out such a senseless and wicked act of violence," said Ashby, who is seeking reelection this year.


Mary Sue Molnar, executive director of Texas Voices for Reasons and Justice, a nonprofit that supports people required to register as sex offenders and their families, said she hopes the extent of any proposed law remains limited and doesn't group everybody into the same category.

Molnar said she views McDougal as an isolated case that she has “no idea how he slipped through the process” and wonders how effective a new law will be if prosecutors continue to allow plea deals for lesser crimes.

The larger question Molnar has in this case is why McDougal was not arrested when first identified by the victim in a stabbing last year.


Family and advocates want solution to legal loophole after the death of Audrii Cunningham

3.1.2024

 

[Ann-Tx]

RE: Visitation at First Baptist Church - Livingston, TX on 3/1/24 from 5 to 8 pm CST. This was open to the public.

Source: KHOU (CBS) - Houston, Texas

Published: 8:07 PM CST March 1, 2024
Updated: 8:08 PM CST March 1, 2024

Video/article

Community, loved ones say goodbye to Audrii Cunningham​

"Our community rallies together. It always has. And in any kind of tragedy and even in triumph, this community rallies together."

Community, loved ones say goodbye to Audrii Cunningham

"Our community rallies together. It always has. And in any kind of tragedy and even in triumph, this community rallies together."

www.khou.com

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 1, 2024
Audrii Cunningham remembered at visitation, funeral in Livingston (yourconroenews.com)
Most of all, she loved animals, the family of Audrii's father, Joshua Lee Cunningham, said in a Tuesday release. Her mother, Cassie Matthews, said her child wanted to be a veterinarian and walked the neighbor's dogs.

"Caring for and playing with animals was her passion," the father's family said in a release. "Every day, Audrii was out caring for our pets and walking our dog."

Audrii was goofy even as a baby, Matthews said. She joked that she was part of the "cool kids club" with her uncle because they both wore glasses, and when she and her mom watched a Spider-Man movie for the first time, she climbed on the coffee table and pretended to shoot webs from her hands.

 

[Ann-Tx]

Per this article, Don Steven McDougal was appointed an attorney.

I have not seen any Houston news media indicate the aforementioned.

Snipped:

Chad Etheridge, who has been appointed to represent McDougal, did not respond to messages left by phone and email.
~~~ end of snip ~~~

Family and advocates want solution to legal loophole after the death of Audrii Cunningham​

Source: ABC News (National) - New York, New York
March 1, 2024, 3:54 PM

Family and advocates want solution to legal loophole after the death of Audrii Cunningham

Family members and victim advocates are mourning the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was killed near Houston

abcnews.go.com

 

[Ann-Tx]

Per this article, Don Steven McDougal was appointed an attorney. I have not seen any Houston news media indicate the aforementioned.

Snipped:

Chad Etheridge, who has been appointed to represent McDougal, did not respond to messages left by phone and email.
~~~ end of snip ~~~

Family and advocates want solution to legal loophole after the death of Audrii Cunningham​

Source: ABC News (National) - New York, New York
March 1, 2024, 3:54 PM

Family and advocates want solution to legal loophole after the death of Audrii Cunningham

Family members and victim advocates are mourning the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was killed near Houston

abcnews.go.com

Chad Etheridge is a criminal defense attorney with the Etheridge & Bacon Law Firm in Liberty, Texas.

Source: About Us – Etheridge & Bacon Law

~~~~~~~~~
Liberty is in Liberty County and is approximately 50 miles south of Livingston (Polk County), Texas.

I wish Polk County would have the search capability and District Clerk site comparable to the District Clerk of Harris County (Houston), Texas. There is so much pertinent info available on the Harris County site.

Oh well . . . will just have to rely on the media for updates! ~~~ sigh ~~~

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 1, 2024

Remembering Audrii Cunningham: Family holds rosary service, mass​

• Audrii was born on Feb. 5, 2013, in Livingston, Texas.
• She was a 5th-grader who attended Creekside Elementary in Livingston ISD.
• Audrii's mom, Casey Matthews, said Audrii was a great child who was smart, fun, caring and had so many opportunities ahead of her.
• Matthews' best friend, Rebecca, said Audrii lit up any room she ever walked in, and didn't deserve what happened to her.
• "Casey is inconsolable," Rebecca told KHOU 11 News. "She had this end goal. She was going to be reunited with her baby and now she's not."
• Audrii is survived by her mom, father, brother, sister and grandparents.

Community, loved ones say goodbye to Audrii Cunningham

"Our community rallies together. It always has. And in any kind of tragedy and even in triumph, this community rallies together."

www.khou.com

 

[Ann-Tx]

Audrii Cunningham's funeral service was today, Saturday, 3/2/24, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Livingston, Texas.
It was a private service.

~~~ Rest in peace, sweet angel Audrii ~~~

FOX26 - Houston, Texas posted their video of the service to YouTube. It is 1:02:36 (one hour, 2 minutes, 36 seconds).

 

[Ann-Tx]

Source: FOX26 News - Houston, Texas

March 2, 2024

Video

Audrii Cunningham laid to rest in Livingston​

On Saturday, 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was laid to rest in Livingston. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle has more on the devastating case and the funeral held in Polk County.

Audrii Cunningham laid to rest in Livingston

On Saturday, 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was laid to rest in Livingston. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle has more on the devastating case and the funeral held in Polk County.

www.fox26houston.com

 

[Ann-Tx]

This link has the video (see above post) and an article. The one above had only the video.

Source: FOX26 News - Houston, Texas

Published March 2, 2024 10:43PM

Video and article

Audrii Cunningham's funeral services held in Livingston, community in mourning​

Funeral services for Audrii Cunningham held in Livingston as community mourns

The 11 year old whose body was found near the Trinity River Feb. 20 was laid to rest Saturday.

www.fox26houston.com