The search continued for days for an eleven-year-old girl who disappeared without a trace on her way to school in Texas. Now the student’s body has been discovered in a river. A family friend who was supposed to take the 11-year-old to the school bus stop is suspected of murder.
Audrii Cunningham reportedly did not arrive at her school in Polk County last Thursday. The next day, her ‘Hello Kitty’ backpack was found near a dam. At that time, 42-year-old Don Steven M. was already in police custody – for a violent crime.
Body of the dead tied to a large stone
Because the man was a family friend who lived in a trailer on the Cunningham family property and, according to police, regularly drove the girl to the bus stop, the 42-year-old quickly became a person of interest. On Tuesday, emergency services finally found the missing woman’s body just downstream from where her backpack was found. Her body was tied to a large stone. The police also found the same rope that was tied to the body in M.’s car, American media report.
In addition, data from his mobile phone was also seized, which showed that the disappearance of the girl was close in time and space. Until his arrest, M. had even assisted in the search for Cunningham and knocked on dozens of doors. But the Polk County sheriff told CNN he felt the attempt was hoax from the start.
Suspect has a criminal record
The suspect has already been convicted several times for violent crimes. In 2007 he was also convicted of seducing an underage child.
Source: Krone
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