According to PEOPLE, Audrii Cunningham, 11, passed away after suffering a brain injury. Five days after going missing in Texas, his body was discovered dead in a river.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences informed them that she was slain and that her cause of death was “homicidal violence.”

Officials from the institute remained silent when questioned about more potential injuries. When Audrii failed to appear at school on February 15, residents of Livingston, Texas, reported her missing to the authorities.
According to the authorities, Don Steven McDougal, 42, the guy who killed her, was charged with first-degree murder.

McDougal was taken into custody on a distinct assault accusation the day following Audrii’s disappearance. He was promptly designated as a person of interest by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, nevertheless.

On February 20, Audrii’s body was discovered. According to the sheriff’s office, McDougal was charged with capital murder by Polk County police the next day in relation to her demise.

As per the charge document, Audrii’s corpse was discovered by the police tied to a “large rock” using a rope that was “consistent” with the rope discovered in the suspect’s car a few days prior.

Authorities had previously trusted McDougal to take care of Audrii, and they claim that he was the last person spotted with her. He resided in a trailer on Audrii’s family’s property, according to officials, as reported by CNN.

Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said ABC 13 that McDougal admitted to authorities that he left the house with Audrii the morning she vanished, but he wouldn’t provide any other details.
FOX 26, KHOU 11, and Click 2 Houston were able to access court documents that showed McDougal had previously been found guilty of luring a minor.

It’s unclear if McDougal has retained legal counsel to represent him.