EAST TEXAS SHERIFF: McDougal Admitted Leaving House with Missing 11-Year-Old Girl

LIVINGSTON, Texas — Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons confirmed additional facts relating to the ongoing search for 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham in a press conference on Monday. The sheriff told reporters they are convinced that Don Steven McDougal was the last person to see Audrii before she disappeared early Thursday morning.

Breitbart Texas asked Sheriff Lyons if McDougal admitted to leaving the house with Audrii on the morning of February 15. The sheriff responded, “Yes.” He also said that McDougal had not said that he had dropped Audrii off at the school bus stop.

Earlier in the briefing, Lyons said, “We do feel, at this point, that he was the last person to see Audrii.” He added, “There’s been information found that there are occasions that he did take her to the bus stop or even take her to school.”

Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Greg Cummings asked the public to provide any videos they may have that show activity on Thursday morning between 6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. along FM 3126 in Polk County. He added that the videos already submitted by the public have been very helpful in helping investigators develop the timeline of the morning’s event.

Cummings said Polk County Crime Stoppers has increased its reward to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for Audrii’s disappearance.

The DPS lieutenant also confirmed that McDougal lives in a camper located behind the residence where Audrii lives with her father, grandparents, and other family members. He said McDougal has a relationship with the family.

Sheriff Lyons also confirmed that the backpack recovered by investigators on Friday could belong to Audrii. “We feel strongly today that backpack that was found is probably going to be Audrii’s.”

Lyons said they have not ruled out any person as a suspect or person of interest in connection to Audrii’s disappearance Thursday morning.

The East Texas sheriff discusses rumors relating to the case to set the records straight. He stated emphatically that McDougal has not confessed to any crime related to Audrii’s disappearance. He confirmed that investigators did take McDougal on a drive to verify places he says he traveled that morning.

“We’re just asking him to take us to any place you think or where you might have been. And, he has done that on one occasion.”

McDougal has not yet been charged with any crime in connection to Audrii’s disappearance but the sheriff said they are treating this as a criminal investigation. During Sunday’s press conference, Lt. Cummings told reporters, “We understand foul play is a factor.”