Found Deceased 11-year-old Livingston, TX Girl - Audrii Cunningham - *ARREST* #2

[PommyMommy]

FEB 24, 2024

Victim advocates hope Audrii Cunningham's death will enact change in Texas law

In 2007, Don Steven McDougal was convicted of enticing a child with intent. This is an offense Texas doesn't require those convicted to register as a sex offender.

www.khou.com

[...]

Lawmakers and activists say its unfortunate we have to keep naming laws in honor of children killed, to protect other kids, but they are hopeful Audrii's case will enact much needed change.

Andy Kahan, director of victim services and advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston, is actively pushing for change on this matter.

"I've already been in touch with several state senators and state representatives who, like everyone else, was just horrified and dumbfounded that this wasn't already an offense that you had to register," he said.

More than 25 pieces of legislation have been passed, backed by Kahan. Legislation drafted in the case of Cunningham should receive bipartisan support, with right language.

"Enticing a child encompasses a variety of different actions. So, the language that we're going to have to specifically focus is where there is a conviction of enticing a child, where there's obviously a sexual notation to the offense, which was obvious in this particular case," Kahan said.

[...]

 

[Knox]

If he wanted to turn his life around he would have been mortified by those tats and hid them in public. NOPE, I will never buy it.

I wonder how McDougal even met the family?

 

[Observant-ADHD-ENFP-BSc]

The entire press release is an attempt to gloss over the truth. He had multiple charges for violent crimes, ongoing and RECENTLY. He could have been as sweet as pie to them but he was arrested and charged often enough that it should have been obvious to them that he had big problems. And as others have also mentioned, being registered didn’t keep them from allowing others around their family so that excuse doesn’t hold up.

Like I said in my last post,

It doesn't excuse them from not doing a thorough background check, but without being prejudiced, I think they may have been very simple people who tried to see the good in others. Rose-tinted glasses, turn the other cheek, ignorance is bliss etc etc

I think they were just blind to any harm, maybe like I said rose-tinted glasses, thinking that allowing him to park his camper in their yard would turn him around completely. I am not making excuses for them, I just don't think they really saw any danger. He is a career criminal, he knows what he needs to say and do to manipulate.
They are likely to take their guilt and naivety to the grave, and likely never really trust anyone again.
They have learned a extremely harsh lesson and have lost their daughter/grand-daughter because of their choices but what is running them down and blaming them going to do now? Like I said the guilt and pain that their choices have left them with is enough, they don't need the public hounding them for the rest of their lives.
A lawyer or legal person wrote this for them I'm guessing to try and diffuse the public outcry being directed on them.
It is DSM who killed her, he will go on trial and hopefully be locked away for ever. They will be in their own prisons for their lives too, but they did not make him do it.
I just feel for them, they made mistakes, mistakes which cost their loved one her life. They know that they let this person in their home and near Audrii. They are in mourning and likely know full well they could have prevented this from happening but hindsight doesnt help that.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Genuine heartbreak in the piney woods - an innocent life taken by a habitual, predatory criminal with a long list of previous convictions.

You can call me a "Sunday morning quarterback" - but I "will" take this opportunity to ask- what did we think was going to happen?

Did we as a society believe Don Steven McDougal was going to "turn over" a new leaf after his fifth conviction... Or his sixth... Or his seventh...or his eighth... Or his ninth?

Why was this dangerous human being "free" to add to his collection of victims?

"He could have been stopped" Serial criminal charged with the death of young Audrii Cunningham

Many feel the death of Audrii Cunningham could have been prevented. if authorities had kept a tighter rein on serial criminal Don Steven McDougal. What's Your Point?

www.fox26houston.com

 

[Chimera]

He likely 'helped' around the house and was sweet as pie to them.
When predators groom a child, they sometimes groom the parents/parental figures.
Just my opinion, though, these predators can play smart if they need to.

SABBM
That's chilling as ... anything -- to think of !
Given that this perp had stabbed a man who was giving him and the victim's girlfriend a 'jump' for their vehicle, wondering if he'd had outbursts around Audrii's family ; just not to that extent (flipping out w/a knife or just his fists ) ?

'He come at me with a knife' | Ex-coworker stabbed by Don Steven McDougal shares frightening encounter

The man charged with capital murder in the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham is an ex-con with a rap sheet that dates back to 2001. We spoke with a 2010 victim.

www.khou.com

But did DSM reveal himself to be unstable enough to warrant a second opinion about allowing him around their kids ?
Omo.

 

[SMK777]

I totally agree with your take on the statement. There are many loopholes in our laws that should be addressed and closed but that does not absolve us as parents and guardians to be the first line of defense for our children. To leave no stone unturned when allowing intimate contact with your loved ones. I don't know exactly how much a full background check would cost but even if it was $500-$1000 is not that amount worth it for the safety of your family? I'm sure they spent at least that much money on vacations and gifts as evidenced by photos that have been posted. One's faith may encourage a helping hand to those who are struggling but I know of no faith that encourages one not to use the gift of discernment in all things including how and whom you help. moo

Exactly. Or even being more lenient: They could have had at the very least a strict rule that Audrii was never to be alone with him (no being driven to school, etc.)

Any person renting from you and living on your property should understand, and find this rule reasonable.

Red flags would have been raised even in Audrii’s mind if he talked about driving her to school.

 

[Allabouttrial]

I'm usually the first to defend the family in these situations, but for this one I'm strugging to come up with a good defense.

Even if no-one was aware of his previous charge against a minor, at a push I can possibly accept that they were helping him get back on his feet, but I cannot for the life of me understand why he was allowed to babysit Audrii alone.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Maybe we should focus more on why what he did to one of his other victims was allowed to be downgraded to “enticing a child”. That’s one of the biggest problems for me.

Was that done in sentencing? Judge? Or what?
Let’s dig on that.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

McDougal was convicted of enticing a child in connection with the incident when he pleaded no contest to two counts, KHOU 11 reported, citing court records.

He received a two-year prison sentence, but Davis said she believes he should have remained behind bars for much longer.

“I think Brazoria County definitely failed me and failed Audrii and possibly more,” she told ABC 13, noting that he wasn’t required to register as a sex offender.

Previous child victim of Audrii Cunningham’s alleged killer tearfully details attack: ‘It could have been me’

A victim of the swastika-tattooed alleged killer of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham has spoken out about her assault – saying “it could have been me” when she was a year younger than the slain girl.…

nypost.com

 

[Chimera]

Maybe we should focus more on why what he did to one of his other victims was allowed to be downgraded to “enticing a child”. That’s one of the biggest problems for me.

Was that done in sentencing? Judge? Or what?
Let’s dig on that.

Bbm.
I understand what you're saying, and that was not just a careless decision but a dangerous one !
The justice system has huge flaws when it comes to certain crimes.
However, imo -- the onus lies on the family of the child first and foremost, they are the first line of defense.
If there are red flags, or a background check isn't done -- keep them out of your home and property.
Omo.

 

[Sjöberg]

Was it or was it not checked that he was on the registry and should or should not he have been registered as a sex offender is all chatted about in good faith, however, IMO it is more of a distraction.

You might not know that, but most countries don't have registries for sex offenders, nor even public registries to check for a list of crimes. And at the same time, many of these countries have notably lower crime rates, both sex crimes and overall.

The United States is the only country that allows public access to the sex offender registry; all other countries in the English-speaking world have sex offender registries only accessible by law enforcement. [wiki]

Sure, the system is also broken, but this broken begins way before any registries, IMO.

 

[SMK777]

Was it or was it not checked that he was on the registry and should or should not he have been registered as a sex offender is all chatted about in good faith, however, IMO it is more of a distraction.

You might not know that, but most countries don't have registries for sex offenders, nor even public registries to check for a list of crimes. And at the same time, many of these countries have notably lower crime rates, both sex crimes and overall.



Sure, the system is also broken, but this broken begins way before any registries, IMO.

I agree with you. Sex offender registries are a symptom, not a solution.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Unfortunately, the system failed us due to a loophole in the sex offender registration system. Don Steven McDougal had a history of disrespect for young female children, but it did not show up when we checked the registry before allowing him to stay in an old camper in our backyard while he tried to start a new life. Had we been aware of what we know now, this man would never have set foot on our property, much less been a part of our little girl’s life", said Audrii's grandmother and father.

‘The system failed us:’ Audrii Cunningham’s father, grandmother release statement following her death

The father of Audrii Cunningham along with her grandmother have released a statement after her body was found in the Trinity River on Tuesday.

www.click2houston.com

 

[SleutherGirl]

Unfortunately, the system failed us due to a loophole in the sex offender registration system. Don Steven McDougal had a history of disrespect for young female children, but it did not show up when we checked the registry before allowing him to stay in an old camper in our backyard while he tried to start a new life. Had we been aware of what we know now, this man would never have set foot on our property, much less been a part of our little girl’s life", said Audrii's grandmother and father.

‘The system failed us:’ Audrii Cunningham’s father, grandmother release statement following her death

The father of Audrii Cunningham along with her grandmother have released a statement after her body was found in the Trinity River on Tuesday.

www.click2houston.com

What exactly, legally is "disrespect for young female children"?

 

[MassGuy]

What exactly, legally is "disrespect for young female children"?

To the author of this statement, that's how you describe attempted rape of a child.

 

[SMK777]

What exactly, legally is "disrespect for young female children"?

“Disrespect” is hardly the proper description of felony sexual assault and murder.

 

[scapa]

“Disrespect” is hardly the proper description of felony sexual assault and murder.

Going out on a limb here, but suspect that while he might have not gone as far as he did during the earlier "enticement" -- or, as we might say round here, attempted SA -- he is very likely to have made other and possibly regular remarks or approaches that would have been interpreted as "disrespectful."

I'd also note that we see many cases -- Josh Dugger, and the list goes on -- in which even those of avowedly strong faith are not beyond recategorizing coercive control and flat-out grooming and SA as something far less serious, surrenders to temptation, departures from the path, that additional reflection and religious observance will cure.

Or, as we might say round here, preludes to other attempted SAs.

 

[kaen]

This man had been an integral part of this family, not just a man who lived nearby in a camper. It is one thing to give him a space to get a leg up and another to let him watch your kid or drive her to school. Hard to believe that his other actions (stabbing the man in the back) are inconsistent with statements and actions that he has taken at their home. Dad partied with him. Grandma and Audrii spent time with him. Was he always g-d fearing and on the straight and narrow? I tend to doubt it. JMHO.

 

[MollyHarps]

I just read the Dad and Grandmothers statement - I understand at this stage people lawyer up but I would’ve much preferred a statement from the heart rather than one clearly wrote by a lawyer.

I do have sympathy for them as they must feel a lot of guilt for what has happened - I also have some sympathies as from what I’ve read regarding McDougal I’d imagine once he was in your life (especially when he essentially lived with them) he’d be very difficult to get rid of due to his extremely violent side - I wouldn’t be surprised to learn in the trial that they both feared him.

However, my sympathies stop there - these two put Audrii in the care of this vile man - it seems from the information we have that he often had lone access to Audrii and it turns my stomach thinking of the suffering Audrii likely suffered over a sustained period (this part is MOO as it is not proven that she was previously assaulted by McDougal) even if they state they didn’t know of his child related criminal history they BOTH knew that this man had extreme far right views from his tattoos he displayed - I certainly wouldn’t allow my child to be looked after by somebody with these views.

 

[SMK777]

This man had been an integral part of this family, not just a man who lived nearby in a camper. It is one thing to give him a space to get a leg up and another to let him watch your kid or drive her to school. Hard to believe that his other actions (stabbing the man in the back) are inconsistent with statements and actions that he has taken at their home. Dad partied with him. Grandma and Audrii spent time with him. Was he always g-d fearing and on the straight and narrow? I tend to doubt it. JMHO.

Exactly. That’s the part that is disturbing: Not that he rented a camper on the property, but that he had as much rights and access concerning the child as the father and grandmother had.