The mother of an 11-year-old Texas girl whose daughter went missing on her way to school is pleading for her safe return.
Audrii Cunningham disappeared early Thursday morning in Livingston, northeast of Houston, after being dropped off at the bus stop by father.
She has not been seen since she left. Her parents are desperate for news of her whereabouts.
Her mother Cassie Matthews told KPRC: ‘There’s not one feeling you feel, it’s a rollercoaster, you’re broken, you’re angry, you’re empty and right now I’m empty.
“She has so many opportunities in front of her, and she deserves every right to be able to take advantage of those opportunities.
‘We would like her to come home, it’s not her thing to just run away or disappear. She has a lot of loving family, she has so many people who love and adore her. We have no clues, so we grab for any string, any sign, anything in general.
Eleven-year-old Audrii Cunningham went missing in Texas on Thursday on her way to school
Her disappearance prompted her desperate mother, Cassie Matthews, to plead for her safe return
Don Steven McDougal, 42, was arrested on an unrelated charge
11-year-old Audrii disappeared early Thursday morning in Livingston, northeast of Houston, after being dropped off at the bus stop and has not been seen since.
“I will not be the same unless my baby is returned to me, and that includes her family, all of us, her friends and the people she is connected to in the community.”
Audrii disappeared near her home Thursday morning around 7 a.m. and was supposed to board the school bus, but she never made it to class, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said. An Amber Alert was issued later that afternoon.
“Difficult is an understatement, these are the things you see on TV and you can only imagine what the family and the parents are going through and there are no words,” Matthew said during a tearful press conference.
On Saturday afternoon, Texas Department of Safety officials announced they had found the girl’s backpack near a dam on Lake Livingston.
A suspect, 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal, has been arrested on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault, but he is also a person of interest in Audrii’s disappearance as he had recently acted as a babysitter for the child.
Police started searching forest areas near the girl’s house as she is a nature lover
“I want to say that we are hopeful that we can bring Audrii home alive and that is what we are absolutely working for right now. Based on the evidence we have, we understand there is foul play as well,” said Lt. Craig Cummings, pictured.
“There’s not one feeling you feel, it’s a rollercoaster, you’re broken, you’re angry, you’re empty and right now I’m empty. She has so many opportunities in front of her, and she deserves every right to be able to take advantage of those opportunities,” said mother Cassie Matthews.
Police are now looking for McDougal’s dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban, which may be linked to the juvenile’s disappearance, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
Audrii disappeared near her home around 7 a.m. Thursday morning and was supposed to get on the school bus, but she never made it to class
On Saturday afternoon, Texas Department of Safety officials announced they had found the girl’s backpack near a dam on Lake Livingston
Audrii, who is 6 feet tall, has blonde hair and blue eyes, was wearing a black hoodie with white lettering, black pants and black high-top tennis shoes when she was last seen by her father.
“I want to say that we are hopeful that we can bring Audrii home alive and that is what we are absolutely working for right now. Based on the evidence we have, we understand there is foul play as well,” Lt. Craig Cummings said.
Police are now looking for McDougal’s dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban, which may be linked to the juvenile’s disappearance, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
School officials have said Audrii was not picked up by the bus and was not present Thursday.
Researchers first began searching in the woods near her home and she is known as a lover of wildlife.
Audrii, who is 6 feet tall, has blonde hair and blue eyes, wore a black hoodie with white lettering, black pants, black high-top tennis shoes and a bright red “Hello Kitty” style backpack when she was little. dropped off at the bus stop by her father Joshua Cunningham.