Audrii Cunningham search: Prayer vigil held for missing 11-year-old
POLK COUNTY, Texas - Day three of the search for 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham continued on Sunday. A prayer vigil was held by the community and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8568 for the missing girl.
"Audrii is missed. We want her home," said Chris Boothe, a friend of Audrii's family.
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The Livingston community and Audrii's family are still searching for answers following the disappearance of the young girl.
"Livingston, Onalaska, Polk County as a whole, we’re a tight-knit group. Something like this doesn’t happen here. That’s something you expect out of the city," said Ray Epps, the Senior Vice Commander of the VFW post in Polk County.
A beacon of hope showed at a prayer vigil Sunday afternoon. Members of the community gathered together hoping for Audrii to be reunited with her loved ones. Epps remembers the time Audrii spent visiting the VFW post.
"She was a sparkling, vivacious young lady," said Epps. "She’d come up, help him, and she’d say, ‘I want to go dance.’ so she’d go out and learn how to dance. You know, that’s the type of personality. She lit up everyone’s lives."
In a message to the community, a friend close to Audrii’s family called for an end to online rumors and speculation surrounding her disappearance.
"I’m going to ask that if you don’t know anything, don’t say anything. All you’re doing is hurting the family," said Chris Boothe, a spokesperson for Audrii's family.
The Department of Public Safety said they still do have 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal, a person of interest, in custody. DPS also has his vehicle and are asking anyone with video footage of the dark blue Chevy suburban from Thursday or Friday to submit a tip to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.