1 00:00:08,285 --> 00:00:13,045 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:13,365 --> 00:00:16,165 Speaker 2: Her eleven year old granddaughter was grandfather at the bus 3 00:00:16,245 --> 00:00:18,725 Speaker 2: about seven am this morning and never made it on 4 00:00:18,725 --> 00:00:21,285 Speaker 2: the bus and has not been seen since Hey twenty six. 5 00:00:21,405 --> 00:00:24,965 Speaker 2: Female is about approximately four for eleven eighty six pounds 6 00:00:25,005 --> 00:00:28,085 Speaker 2: wand long hair, blue eyes, last nun her dark colored 7 00:00:28,125 --> 00:00:29,205 Speaker 2: jacket un. 8 00:00:31,245 --> 00:00:35,485 Speaker 3: On February fifteenth, twenty twenty four, the day after Valentine's Day, 9 00:00:36,045 --> 00:00:39,085 Speaker 3: eleven year old Audrey Cunningham, a fifth grade student at 10 00:00:39,125 --> 00:00:43,005 Speaker 3: Creekside Elementary in Livingston, Texas, never made it to the 11 00:00:43,005 --> 00:00:47,885 Speaker 3: bus stop. Audrey's parents are divorced. She lived with her father, 12 00:00:48,125 --> 00:00:51,605 Speaker 3: Joshua Lee Cunningham, in Livingston, which is about seventy five 13 00:00:51,645 --> 00:00:55,845 Speaker 3: miles north of Houston in Polk County. Some other family members, 14 00:00:55,885 --> 00:01:00,445 Speaker 3: including her grandmother, also lived on the same property. Audrey 15 00:01:00,525 --> 00:01:03,885 Speaker 3: was born on February fifteenth, twenty thirteen, so she had 16 00:01:03,925 --> 00:01:07,885 Speaker 3: just turned eleven years old. She loved animals. In fact, 17 00:01:07,885 --> 00:01:10,005 Speaker 3: one of her favorite things in the world to do 18 00:01:10,525 --> 00:01:12,885 Speaker 3: was in the morning, when she would walk to the 19 00:01:12,885 --> 00:01:15,645 Speaker 3: bus stop, she would stop to pet her neighbor's dog. 20 00:01:16,565 --> 00:01:19,525 Speaker 3: The first people to notice that Audrey was missing were 21 00:01:19,565 --> 00:01:24,125 Speaker 3: at her school. Apparently school officials notified her father, Joshua 22 00:01:24,165 --> 00:01:26,245 Speaker 3: at around noon that she never made it to school 23 00:01:26,245 --> 00:01:30,125 Speaker 3: that day. Now, that's what law enforcement has stated, but 24 00:01:30,205 --> 00:01:33,765 Speaker 3: I have seen other reports saying that in Texas, like 25 00:01:33,805 --> 00:01:36,605 Speaker 3: in many other states, they have an automated system that 26 00:01:36,685 --> 00:01:39,965 Speaker 3: techts parents when a child doesn't show up, So it 27 00:01:40,045 --> 00:01:42,525 Speaker 3: may have taken longer for that to happen for her 28 00:01:42,525 --> 00:01:46,005 Speaker 3: father to receive that message. But either way, when Audrey 29 00:01:46,045 --> 00:01:49,125 Speaker 3: did not come home after school, her family knew that 30 00:01:49,205 --> 00:01:54,765 Speaker 3: something was very wrong. Audrey's custody situation sounds a little complicated. 31 00:01:55,165 --> 00:01:58,485 Speaker 3: Apparently her dad had full custody and there seemed to 32 00:01:58,525 --> 00:02:03,125 Speaker 3: be some animosity there between her dad and her mom. Apparently, 33 00:02:03,205 --> 00:02:06,725 Speaker 3: Audrey's mother, Cassie, allowed her to live with her father, Joshua, 34 00:02:07,285 --> 00:02:09,805 Speaker 3: and from what the mother has said, it seems like 35 00:02:09,845 --> 00:02:12,525 Speaker 3: that arrangement was not court ordered. It was just something 36 00:02:12,525 --> 00:02:15,445 Speaker 3: they figured out on their own. It had been going on. 37 00:02:15,445 --> 00:02:16,285 Speaker 1: For a few years. 38 00:02:17,045 --> 00:02:20,205 Speaker 3: Cassie said that she allowed Audrey to live with her 39 00:02:20,205 --> 00:02:24,165 Speaker 3: father in order for her daughter to have a better life. 40 00:02:24,245 --> 00:02:27,085 Speaker 3: But as we said, there were other people staying on 41 00:02:27,085 --> 00:02:30,045 Speaker 3: that property. One of the people living there was a 42 00:02:30,085 --> 00:02:32,845 Speaker 3: forty two year old friend of the Famili's. He lived 43 00:02:32,845 --> 00:02:36,645 Speaker 3: in a camper out back, and this was someone who, 44 00:02:36,725 --> 00:02:40,645 Speaker 3: though he had a very disturbing criminal record, he was 45 00:02:40,685 --> 00:02:44,565 Speaker 3: allowed to babysit for Audrey. But apparently this did not 46 00:02:44,765 --> 00:02:48,125 Speaker 3: raise any red flags with anyone until the day when 47 00:02:48,165 --> 00:02:48,965 Speaker 3: Audrey vanished. 48 00:02:52,725 --> 00:02:54,245 Speaker 1: Only then did people. 49 00:02:54,005 --> 00:02:56,685 Speaker 3: Start taking a hard look at what was really going 50 00:02:56,725 --> 00:03:00,445 Speaker 3: on behind the closed doors of this house. In rural Texas, 51 00:03:01,085 --> 00:03:05,005 Speaker 3: we talk a lot about stranger danger and children, but 52 00:03:05,125 --> 00:03:07,805 Speaker 3: with this case, we're going to see that sometimes the 53 00:03:07,805 --> 00:03:11,605 Speaker 3: most terrifying people in a child's life can be living 54 00:03:11,685 --> 00:03:17,805 Speaker 3: inside the home. I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the past five 55 00:03:17,885 --> 00:03:21,245 Speaker 3: years of making my true crime podcast, Helen Gone, I've 56 00:03:21,325 --> 00:03:23,525 Speaker 3: learned that there is no such thing as a small 57 00:03:23,565 --> 00:03:27,205 Speaker 3: town where murder never happens. I have received hundreds of 58 00:03:27,205 --> 00:03:30,485 Speaker 3: messages from people all around the country asking for help 59 00:03:30,525 --> 00:03:33,805 Speaker 3: with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, and 60 00:03:33,845 --> 00:03:37,045 Speaker 3: their communities. If you have a case you'd like me 61 00:03:37,085 --> 00:03:39,445 Speaker 3: and my team to look into, you can reach out 62 00:03:39,485 --> 00:03:41,685 Speaker 3: to us at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six 63 00:03:41,805 --> 00:03:45,805 Speaker 3: seven eight seven four four six one four five That 64 00:03:46,005 --> 00:03:48,845 Speaker 3: six seven eight seven four four six '. 65 00:03:48,765 --> 00:03:49,805 Speaker 1: One four or five. 66 00:03:50,885 --> 00:04:26,205 Speaker 4: This is Helen Gone Murder line. 67 00:04:29,285 --> 00:04:33,165 Speaker 3: Now, as listeners of this podcast will know, I very 68 00:04:33,245 --> 00:04:36,725 Speaker 3: rarely do cases that are currently being investigated. I tend 69 00:04:36,725 --> 00:04:39,205 Speaker 3: to focus on cold cases that everyone else has kind 70 00:04:39,205 --> 00:04:42,845 Speaker 3: of forgotten. I also don't tend to do cases where 71 00:04:42,885 --> 00:04:45,325 Speaker 3: there has been a person of interest arrested, where the 72 00:04:45,365 --> 00:04:49,485 Speaker 3: case is closed to being closed. But I'm breaking all 73 00:04:49,525 --> 00:04:51,645 Speaker 3: the rules this week because I think that the Audrey 74 00:04:51,645 --> 00:04:55,565 Speaker 3: Cunningham case is a very important case to cover. First 75 00:04:55,565 --> 00:04:57,965 Speaker 3: of all, I wanted to cover it because it unfolded 76 00:04:58,045 --> 00:05:02,085 Speaker 3: in a really public way. Now, obviously, anytime a young 77 00:05:02,125 --> 00:05:04,725 Speaker 3: girl is murdered or goes missing, this is a tragedy. 78 00:05:05,125 --> 00:05:07,445 Speaker 3: But in in my opinion, in this case, the police 79 00:05:07,445 --> 00:05:09,685 Speaker 3: have shared with the public in a way that has 80 00:05:09,765 --> 00:05:13,765 Speaker 3: been very positive. As we will see, police were able 81 00:05:13,805 --> 00:05:17,285 Speaker 3: to arrest a person of interest very quickly, they communicated 82 00:05:17,325 --> 00:05:20,325 Speaker 3: clearly with the community and with other agencies, and they 83 00:05:20,325 --> 00:05:23,445 Speaker 3: did not withhold information. I want to know what we 84 00:05:23,485 --> 00:05:26,405 Speaker 3: can learn from this going forward, so that in cases 85 00:05:26,445 --> 00:05:29,325 Speaker 3: where there are children and young women missing for such 86 00:05:29,325 --> 00:05:32,685 Speaker 3: a long time. I'm hoping that we can take something 87 00:05:32,685 --> 00:05:35,165 Speaker 3: from this and hopefully apply these lessons to some of 88 00:05:35,165 --> 00:05:36,205 Speaker 3: our other cult cases. 89 00:05:37,325 --> 00:05:40,045 Speaker 2: The missing juvenile called in from the county. 90 00:05:40,085 --> 00:05:42,245 Speaker 1: They want us to take that address with pH There 91 00:05:43,165 --> 00:05:44,925 Speaker 1: still no sign of her negative. 92 00:05:46,965 --> 00:05:50,365 Speaker 3: Audrey Cunningham was officially reported missing to law enforcement at 93 00:05:50,405 --> 00:05:54,725 Speaker 3: around five thirty pm on Thursday, February fifteenth, twenty twenty four. 94 00:05:55,565 --> 00:05:59,125 Speaker 3: An Amberlert went out that night for Audrey, describing her 95 00:05:59,205 --> 00:06:02,565 Speaker 3: as four foot eleven seventy five pounds, wearing a black 96 00:06:02,605 --> 00:06:07,285 Speaker 3: hoodie with white lettering, carrying a camel Fflage backpack, black pants, 97 00:06:07,445 --> 00:06:12,725 Speaker 3: and black high top tennis shoes. Police immediately started searching 98 00:06:12,725 --> 00:06:15,405 Speaker 3: in the woods behind her house. At first, they may 99 00:06:15,405 --> 00:06:17,445 Speaker 3: have been thinking maybe she went back there to look 100 00:06:17,445 --> 00:06:21,005 Speaker 3: for animals, since she did love animals, or maybe she 101 00:06:21,085 --> 00:06:25,365 Speaker 3: wandered away and got lost. Audrey's family started posting on 102 00:06:25,405 --> 00:06:29,925 Speaker 3: social media immediately after she went missing. Her father, Joshua Cunningham, 103 00:06:29,965 --> 00:06:33,365 Speaker 3: made a post that read, my daughter, Audrey Cunningham is missing. 104 00:06:33,765 --> 00:06:35,645 Speaker 1: She did not make it to the bus this morning. 105 00:06:36,085 --> 00:06:39,245 Speaker 3: Contact me and the police immediately with any information. 106 00:06:41,205 --> 00:06:41,525 Speaker 4: Now. 107 00:06:41,925 --> 00:06:42,725 Speaker 1: This seemed to. 108 00:06:42,725 --> 00:06:45,805 Speaker 3: Feed into early media reports that said that Audrey had 109 00:06:45,925 --> 00:06:49,045 Speaker 3: vanished some time on her way to school on Thursday. 110 00:06:49,725 --> 00:06:51,845 Speaker 3: But as I'm going to get into a little bit later. 111 00:06:52,165 --> 00:06:55,845 Speaker 3: I have questions about this timeline and when Audrey really disappeared. 112 00:06:56,725 --> 00:06:59,525 Speaker 3: Of course, police who were looking for Audrey were considering 113 00:06:59,565 --> 00:07:02,725 Speaker 3: all the possibilities. In addition to figuring out if a 114 00:07:02,765 --> 00:07:04,965 Speaker 3: stranger had grabbed her on her way to the bus stop, 115 00:07:05,165 --> 00:07:07,725 Speaker 3: they were also taking a close look at her home life. 116 00:07:08,325 --> 00:07:13,045 Speaker 3: Who was around Audrey, who had access to this little girl. Immediately, 117 00:07:13,125 --> 00:07:16,685 Speaker 3: both the community and friends of hers saw pictures of 118 00:07:16,725 --> 00:07:19,565 Speaker 3: this family friend, forty two year old Don Stephen McDougall, 119 00:07:19,605 --> 00:07:22,205 Speaker 3: who goes by his middle name Stephen, and they were 120 00:07:22,245 --> 00:07:24,085 Speaker 3: asking a lot of questions about Stephen. 121 00:07:24,845 --> 00:07:26,405 Speaker 1: Stephen had a long. 122 00:07:26,165 --> 00:07:29,525 Speaker 3: Criminal history, He had a swastika tattoo on his shoulder, 123 00:07:30,605 --> 00:07:33,005 Speaker 3: and a lot of people commented on social media and 124 00:07:33,045 --> 00:07:35,525 Speaker 3: said this did not look or sound like the type 125 00:07:35,525 --> 00:07:37,005 Speaker 3: of guy you would want to leave in charge of 126 00:07:37,045 --> 00:07:41,725 Speaker 3: your children. People wanted to know who was this friend 127 00:07:41,765 --> 00:07:44,525 Speaker 3: of the famili's and how was he allowed access to 128 00:07:44,565 --> 00:07:51,005 Speaker 3: an eleven year old child. The Polk County Sheriff's Department 129 00:07:51,045 --> 00:07:54,445 Speaker 3: did a press conference and the Polk County Sheriff Byron 130 00:07:54,565 --> 00:07:57,685 Speaker 3: Lyons described Stephen McDougall as a friend of the family, 131 00:07:57,845 --> 00:08:01,405 Speaker 3: a friend of Audrey's father's Stephen McDougall, lived in a 132 00:08:01,445 --> 00:08:05,045 Speaker 3: camper on the property, but he reportedly had access to 133 00:08:05,045 --> 00:08:08,805 Speaker 3: the kitchen in the bathroom area pretty much the entire house. 134 00:08:09,725 --> 00:08:13,925 Speaker 3: Reporters and police talked to Audrey's mom, Cassie. She said 135 00:08:13,925 --> 00:08:17,565 Speaker 3: that it was her understanding that Stephen would sometimes babysit Audrey, 136 00:08:18,325 --> 00:08:22,325 Speaker 3: and Audrey's routine apparently was that every day she walked 137 00:08:22,325 --> 00:08:25,725 Speaker 3: to the bus stop, and often Stephen was the person. 138 00:08:25,445 --> 00:08:26,325 Speaker 1: Who walked with her. 139 00:08:27,045 --> 00:08:29,125 Speaker 3: But on occasion, or if she was running late or 140 00:08:29,125 --> 00:08:31,965 Speaker 3: something like that, Stephen would drive Audrey to the bus 141 00:08:32,005 --> 00:08:35,085 Speaker 3: stop in his two thousand and three navy blue Chevy Suburban, 142 00:08:35,565 --> 00:08:39,005 Speaker 3: or he would drive her to school. Cassie made a 143 00:08:39,045 --> 00:08:40,165 Speaker 3: public plea for help. 144 00:08:40,645 --> 00:08:42,485 Speaker 5: I would just like to get the word out that 145 00:08:43,005 --> 00:08:46,965 Speaker 5: we would like to have her come home. It's not 146 00:08:47,205 --> 00:08:51,125 Speaker 5: like her to, you know, just run off or disappear. 147 00:08:51,285 --> 00:08:53,485 Speaker 5: She has a lot of loving families. She has so 148 00:08:53,565 --> 00:08:55,885 Speaker 5: many people that love her and adore her. 149 00:08:57,325 --> 00:09:00,685 Speaker 3: And she also publicly shared texts that she said were 150 00:09:00,725 --> 00:09:04,525 Speaker 3: from Stephen, in which Stephen said he had dropped Audrey 151 00:09:04,525 --> 00:09:07,965 Speaker 3: off to the bus stop that morning. Yet school officials 152 00:09:07,965 --> 00:09:11,125 Speaker 3: stated they confirmed Audrey was not on that bus. 153 00:09:11,205 --> 00:09:12,325 Speaker 1: She did not ride her. 154 00:09:12,165 --> 00:09:17,445 Speaker 3: Bus to school that day, So these stories conflicted, and 155 00:09:17,525 --> 00:09:20,045 Speaker 3: it didn't take police long to learn that in addition 156 00:09:20,165 --> 00:09:24,645 Speaker 3: to Stephen's criminal history, he had arrests for violent crime 157 00:09:25,005 --> 00:09:30,245 Speaker 3: and sexual crimes against children. The Polk County Police were 158 00:09:30,285 --> 00:09:34,605 Speaker 3: already talking to Stephen. They confirmed Stephen was the last 159 00:09:34,645 --> 00:09:38,685 Speaker 3: person to see Audrey before she disappeared. And I'm not 160 00:09:38,765 --> 00:09:41,525 Speaker 3: exactly sure of the timeline here because they started talking 161 00:09:41,565 --> 00:09:45,925 Speaker 3: to Stephen on Thursday, February fifteenth, But at some point 162 00:09:46,085 --> 00:09:49,965 Speaker 3: during their multiple interviews of Stephen, Stephen apparently admitted to 163 00:09:50,005 --> 00:09:52,445 Speaker 3: police that he did leave the house with Audrey that morning, 164 00:09:53,085 --> 00:09:55,365 Speaker 3: but he wouldn't talk about whether or not she ever 165 00:09:55,405 --> 00:10:00,005 Speaker 3: made it to the bus stop. This regional story very 166 00:10:00,085 --> 00:10:04,885 Speaker 3: quickly made national news. Police were focusing on the area 167 00:10:04,925 --> 00:10:11,445 Speaker 3: around Lake Livingston Dam, a few miles from Audrey's home. Then, 168 00:10:11,725 --> 00:10:15,325 Speaker 3: on Friday, one day after Audrey was reported missing, the 169 00:10:15,365 --> 00:10:19,965 Speaker 3: local news station KHOU eleven reported that searchers had found 170 00:10:20,005 --> 00:10:23,685 Speaker 3: a wet backpack believed to be Audrey's. More items of 171 00:10:23,725 --> 00:10:28,165 Speaker 3: clothing belonging to a child were reportedly found near the waterline. 172 00:10:28,205 --> 00:10:30,805 Speaker 3: The Polk County Sheriff's office held a press conference at 173 00:10:30,845 --> 00:10:35,285 Speaker 3: Bowders Marina. Sheriff Lines announced that the FBI and the 174 00:10:35,325 --> 00:10:39,325 Speaker 3: Texas Rangers and multiple other agencies were involved and said 175 00:10:39,325 --> 00:10:43,525 Speaker 3: they had boats and dogs searching the area. And he 176 00:10:43,605 --> 00:10:46,485 Speaker 3: said in this press conference that police hadn't made any 177 00:10:46,605 --> 00:10:49,205 Speaker 3: rest but he stated that there were persons and he 178 00:10:49,325 --> 00:10:55,005 Speaker 3: used the plural there persons of interest. Meanwhile, police continued 179 00:10:55,045 --> 00:10:58,445 Speaker 3: to talk to Stephen. And what was crazy was this 180 00:10:58,765 --> 00:11:02,565 Speaker 3: entire situation with the police approaching Stephen and talking to 181 00:11:02,645 --> 00:11:06,445 Speaker 3: him was playing out on social media. Were posting Facebook 182 00:11:06,525 --> 00:11:09,725 Speaker 3: videos of the police talking to Stephen outside a donut shop, 183 00:11:10,205 --> 00:11:12,605 Speaker 3: then Stephen getting into a squad car and going to 184 00:11:12,645 --> 00:11:16,565 Speaker 3: the police station. And then it was reported that on 185 00:11:16,725 --> 00:11:22,365 Speaker 3: February fifteenth, very soon after that donut shop confrontation, Stephen 186 00:11:22,525 --> 00:11:24,605 Speaker 3: was arrested and he was taken to the Polk County 187 00:11:24,685 --> 00:11:28,205 Speaker 3: Jail on an unrelated assault charge. So now the public 188 00:11:28,285 --> 00:11:31,325 Speaker 3: is wondering why if Stephen had warrants out on him, 189 00:11:31,485 --> 00:11:34,245 Speaker 3: and given the violence of his past crimes, how was 190 00:11:34,285 --> 00:11:42,285 Speaker 3: he allowed to roam free. Then on February twentieth, there 191 00:11:42,325 --> 00:11:46,165 Speaker 3: was another press conference. That's when the Sheriff's office announced 192 00:11:46,365 --> 00:11:57,365 Speaker 3: that Audrey Cunningham's body had been found. At the press 193 00:11:57,405 --> 00:12:01,765 Speaker 3: conference on February twentieth, Sheriff Lyne said that finding Audrey's 194 00:12:01,765 --> 00:12:04,205 Speaker 3: body had been a coordinated effort, and he talked about 195 00:12:04,205 --> 00:12:06,885 Speaker 3: how many groups were involved in, including the Texas Rangers, 196 00:12:06,925 --> 00:12:11,485 Speaker 3: Game Wardens, FBI, Harris County Sheriff's Office, and there were 197 00:12:11,525 --> 00:12:14,925 Speaker 3: a lot more. The Trinity River Authority actually played a 198 00:12:14,965 --> 00:12:19,645 Speaker 3: key role here because that agency agreed to lower the 199 00:12:19,685 --> 00:12:22,205 Speaker 3: water level so that the divers could do their searches 200 00:12:22,245 --> 00:12:27,085 Speaker 3: around there. The Polk County District Attorney, Shelley Sitton said, 201 00:12:27,165 --> 00:12:31,245 Speaker 3: quote resources that were marshaled by sheriff lines should show 202 00:12:31,285 --> 00:12:34,045 Speaker 3: you that in this county they will come out when 203 00:12:34,085 --> 00:12:35,445 Speaker 3: they need to protect our children. 204 00:12:35,845 --> 00:12:36,965 Speaker 1: End quote. 205 00:12:37,805 --> 00:12:40,965 Speaker 3: The sheriff said that Audrey's body had not been visible 206 00:12:40,965 --> 00:12:44,325 Speaker 3: from the surface, so it required special equipment and teams 207 00:12:44,365 --> 00:12:47,325 Speaker 3: to locate her. There was a sonar boat they used 208 00:12:47,325 --> 00:12:50,445 Speaker 3: to scow the river, and again the River Authority had 209 00:12:50,485 --> 00:12:53,645 Speaker 3: slowed down the outflow from the reservoir so that water 210 00:12:53,725 --> 00:12:58,245 Speaker 3: level could be lowered. After they found Audrey's body, it 211 00:12:58,325 --> 00:13:01,605 Speaker 3: was transported to Harris County Corner's office. They did not 212 00:13:01,685 --> 00:13:05,205 Speaker 3: release any information about the condition of her body, but 213 00:13:05,565 --> 00:13:09,565 Speaker 3: later investigators revealed that Audrey's body had been tied to 214 00:13:09,645 --> 00:13:15,485 Speaker 3: a large rock with a rope. And I just want 215 00:13:15,485 --> 00:13:17,925 Speaker 3: to mention here something that I noticed as an investigator. 216 00:13:18,005 --> 00:13:23,205 Speaker 3: During the press conference, the sheriff talked about how powerful 217 00:13:23,285 --> 00:13:26,325 Speaker 3: social media had been. They said they actually thanked people 218 00:13:26,325 --> 00:13:29,285 Speaker 3: who were communicating on social media. The sheriff said that 219 00:13:29,285 --> 00:13:31,845 Speaker 3: it had helped in their investigation, that it had helped 220 00:13:31,885 --> 00:13:35,285 Speaker 3: pinpoint his location, and that in addition to getting cell 221 00:13:35,365 --> 00:13:38,965 Speaker 3: phone data from Stephen's phone, that the social media chatter 222 00:13:39,485 --> 00:13:43,725 Speaker 3: had really helped the case. This does not often happen 223 00:13:43,765 --> 00:13:46,765 Speaker 3: in criminal investigations. If you listen to this podcast, you 224 00:13:46,805 --> 00:13:50,085 Speaker 3: know we've seen way too many where the police give 225 00:13:50,525 --> 00:13:55,045 Speaker 3: no information out and bodies are not recovered quickly. So 226 00:13:55,245 --> 00:13:57,245 Speaker 3: I have to say I think that Paul County did 227 00:13:57,245 --> 00:13:59,525 Speaker 3: a really good job in communicating with the media and 228 00:13:59,565 --> 00:14:03,565 Speaker 3: the public and maintaining the integrity and investigation while also 229 00:14:04,525 --> 00:14:08,285 Speaker 3: giving people information so that they could help. The sheriff 230 00:14:08,365 --> 00:14:11,165 Speaker 3: also said during the press conference there was no evidence 231 00:14:11,205 --> 00:14:13,325 Speaker 3: that Audrey had been held somewhere else before she was 232 00:14:13,325 --> 00:14:15,445 Speaker 3: put in the water, but he said they were still 233 00:14:15,485 --> 00:14:24,525 Speaker 3: analyzing data. It did not take long for amateur detectives 234 00:14:24,525 --> 00:14:27,805 Speaker 3: and journalists to start delving into Stephen's criminal records. 235 00:14:28,445 --> 00:14:30,125 Speaker 1: The news channel Fox twenty six in. 236 00:14:30,165 --> 00:14:32,485 Speaker 3: Houston reported that he had a string of arrests and 237 00:14:32,605 --> 00:14:37,005 Speaker 3: convictions for violent crimes, including dui theft, drug possession, and 238 00:14:37,045 --> 00:14:40,725 Speaker 3: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The most shocking, though, 239 00:14:41,325 --> 00:14:46,885 Speaker 3: was enticement of a child. One news channel did an 240 00:14:46,925 --> 00:14:50,325 Speaker 3: interview with a guy who had worked with Stephen and 241 00:14:50,445 --> 00:14:53,325 Speaker 3: said that Stephen seemed like a nice guy. They worked 242 00:14:53,325 --> 00:14:55,405 Speaker 3: together at a body shop and one night they got 243 00:14:55,405 --> 00:14:58,525 Speaker 3: into an argument. Things turned physical and they ended up 244 00:14:58,605 --> 00:15:01,805 Speaker 3: kicking Stephen out of their house. Then Stephen came back 245 00:15:01,845 --> 00:15:04,685 Speaker 3: with a knife and tried to stab this guy. The 246 00:15:04,765 --> 00:15:08,525 Speaker 3: victim called the police and Stephen was arrested. The victim 247 00:15:08,565 --> 00:15:12,445 Speaker 3: told the news channel quote terrifying, it really was. He 248 00:15:12,525 --> 00:15:15,045 Speaker 3: seemed like this nice guy, but he's got this whole 249 00:15:15,085 --> 00:15:17,005 Speaker 3: other side to him that no one seemed to know 250 00:15:17,085 --> 00:15:18,125 Speaker 3: about until now. 251 00:15:18,565 --> 00:15:19,805 Speaker 1: End quote. 252 00:15:19,885 --> 00:15:22,365 Speaker 3: In fact, this guy said he was so horrified by 253 00:15:22,405 --> 00:15:25,965 Speaker 3: everything that he had heard about Stephen that his only 254 00:15:26,045 --> 00:15:28,725 Speaker 3: actual regret was that he didn't kill Stephen that he 255 00:15:28,765 --> 00:15:31,125 Speaker 3: didn't shoot him dead the night that he was attacked. 256 00:15:32,845 --> 00:15:36,685 Speaker 3: On February twenty second, the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office 257 00:15:36,725 --> 00:15:40,725 Speaker 3: released Audrey Cunningham's cause of death. It was blunt head 258 00:15:40,725 --> 00:15:46,645 Speaker 3: trauma and the manner of death was homicide. Again, I 259 00:15:46,685 --> 00:15:49,205 Speaker 3: think it was a very good call to release this information. 260 00:15:50,045 --> 00:15:54,045 Speaker 3: Making it publicly available definitely helped cut down on the 261 00:15:54,085 --> 00:16:02,325 Speaker 3: wild rumors and online speculation. So again, this case is 262 00:16:02,405 --> 00:16:05,045 Speaker 3: happening in real time. Stephen has not been convicted of 263 00:16:05,045 --> 00:16:08,005 Speaker 3: this crime, and we actually don't know if anyone else 264 00:16:08,045 --> 00:16:11,125 Speaker 3: is going to be arrested or charged. But I have 265 00:16:11,245 --> 00:16:15,645 Speaker 3: some questions about this timeline. Let's take a look back, 266 00:16:15,685 --> 00:16:19,005 Speaker 3: because at first, police said their theory was that Stephen 267 00:16:19,045 --> 00:16:21,685 Speaker 3: and Audrey drove in the car on Thursday morning, and 268 00:16:21,725 --> 00:16:23,565 Speaker 3: that he told Audrey he was going to drop her 269 00:16:23,605 --> 00:16:26,845 Speaker 3: off the bus stop as normal. Then they speculated he 270 00:16:26,845 --> 00:16:30,325 Speaker 3: took a detour and took Audrey somewhere else. But again, 271 00:16:30,445 --> 00:16:33,085 Speaker 3: a lot of their information was based on what Stephen 272 00:16:33,205 --> 00:16:36,365 Speaker 3: was telling them. So I'm wondering could something have happened 273 00:16:36,405 --> 00:16:41,485 Speaker 3: to Audrey before Thursday. The first media reports that came 274 00:16:41,525 --> 00:16:44,005 Speaker 3: out said that Audrey had last been seen at around 275 00:16:44,085 --> 00:16:49,405 Speaker 3: seven am on Thursday, February fifteenth, the day she reportedly disappeared, 276 00:16:49,445 --> 00:16:53,245 Speaker 3: but at least according to my research, no one but 277 00:16:53,365 --> 00:16:55,725 Speaker 3: Stephen and possibly others in the home say that she 278 00:16:55,805 --> 00:16:59,205 Speaker 3: was ever seen that morning. There was a neighbor who 279 00:16:59,245 --> 00:17:01,845 Speaker 3: was interviewed by a news channel, and this neighbor said 280 00:17:01,925 --> 00:17:05,165 Speaker 3: she always saw Audrey walk by her house every single 281 00:17:05,245 --> 00:17:07,205 Speaker 3: day on her way to the bus stop, and that 282 00:17:07,285 --> 00:17:10,605 Speaker 3: Audrey would stop to pet her dog well. The neighbor 283 00:17:10,685 --> 00:17:14,085 Speaker 3: told a local news station that she remembered seeing Audrey 284 00:17:14,125 --> 00:17:17,885 Speaker 3: on Valentine's Day, Wednesday, February fourteenth. She had actually said 285 00:17:17,885 --> 00:17:21,525 Speaker 3: Happy Valentine's Day to Audrey, but crucially, she said she 286 00:17:21,605 --> 00:17:26,125 Speaker 3: did not see Audrey on Thursday the fifteenth. And then 287 00:17:26,245 --> 00:17:31,285 Speaker 3: there are the disturbing messages that Stephen was sending. People 288 00:17:31,365 --> 00:17:34,365 Speaker 3: were posting Facebook messages saying that around the time Audrey 289 00:17:34,365 --> 00:17:37,365 Speaker 3: disappeared that Stephen was trying to solicit them for sex. 290 00:17:38,005 --> 00:17:41,525 Speaker 3: Stephen allegedly sent some messages about wanting to hook up 291 00:17:41,565 --> 00:17:45,565 Speaker 3: with someone on the night of Wednesday, February fourteenth. He 292 00:17:45,725 --> 00:17:48,565 Speaker 3: was offering, in exchange for sex, the title to his 293 00:17:48,685 --> 00:17:52,925 Speaker 3: truck meaning the suburban or one thousand dollars. The messages 294 00:17:52,965 --> 00:17:56,245 Speaker 3: are disturbing, not necessarily because he was wanting to hook up, 295 00:17:56,245 --> 00:17:57,485 Speaker 3: but because these women. 296 00:17:57,205 --> 00:17:57,845 Speaker 1: Are saying no. 297 00:17:58,605 --> 00:18:01,965 Speaker 3: One woman responds and says she's engaged. Then she says, look, 298 00:18:02,005 --> 00:18:04,325 Speaker 3: this is disgusting. I'm not a prostitute. I don't know 299 00:18:04,365 --> 00:18:06,885 Speaker 3: why you're offering me money for this. Basically she blew 300 00:18:06,925 --> 00:18:10,805 Speaker 3: him off. And it's also interesting to me that Stephen 301 00:18:10,885 --> 00:18:14,525 Speaker 3: was making comments about trading in the suburban because if 302 00:18:14,525 --> 00:18:16,645 Speaker 3: that's true, if he really wanted to get rid of 303 00:18:16,645 --> 00:18:20,925 Speaker 3: the car, that in itself is interesting. There was potential 304 00:18:20,965 --> 00:18:28,405 Speaker 3: evidence inside that car. Later investigators said they found rope 305 00:18:28,485 --> 00:18:31,725 Speaker 3: inside Stephen's suburban and that that rope was consistent with 306 00:18:31,765 --> 00:18:34,165 Speaker 3: the rope that had been found tied to Audrey's body. 307 00:18:35,485 --> 00:18:36,485 Speaker 1: And then there are. 308 00:18:36,365 --> 00:18:41,685 Speaker 3: The messages that Stephen supposedly sent to Audrey's mother, Cassie. 309 00:18:41,765 --> 00:18:45,045 Speaker 3: Cassie posted text messages she said she exchanged with Stephen, 310 00:18:45,805 --> 00:18:49,165 Speaker 3: and in these text messages, she claims that Stephen was 311 00:18:49,205 --> 00:18:51,525 Speaker 3: trying to entice her to meet with him and with 312 00:18:51,645 --> 00:18:56,645 Speaker 3: Audrey on Thursday, February fifteenth. So, as we mentioned, Cassie 313 00:18:56,725 --> 00:18:59,045 Speaker 3: was having custody issues with her ex husband, and she 314 00:18:59,165 --> 00:19:02,125 Speaker 3: wanted to have more visits with her daughter. So the 315 00:19:02,165 --> 00:19:05,405 Speaker 3: messages that were exchanged between Cassie and Stephen were based 316 00:19:05,845 --> 00:19:10,885 Speaker 3: Stephen offering to intervene and to help Cassie out. Cassie wrote, quote, 317 00:19:11,085 --> 00:19:13,005 Speaker 3: it makes me sick to my stomach that they think 318 00:19:13,045 --> 00:19:16,605 Speaker 3: that's okay. She has an innocent, fragile child's mind and 319 00:19:16,645 --> 00:19:19,765 Speaker 3: them warping it with chaos is not right man end quote. 320 00:19:20,845 --> 00:19:24,445 Speaker 3: So basically, Cassie's saying that she believes that her ex 321 00:19:24,565 --> 00:19:28,085 Speaker 3: husband is kind of turning her daughter against her. Stephen 322 00:19:28,165 --> 00:19:30,245 Speaker 3: seems to be acting like this good guy who's a 323 00:19:30,245 --> 00:19:32,565 Speaker 3: friend of the family who's going to plan a meetup 324 00:19:32,565 --> 00:19:36,765 Speaker 3: with her mother. Stephen replied, quote, I might take you 325 00:19:36,805 --> 00:19:39,805 Speaker 3: out to the doc to fish and accidentally pull up 326 00:19:39,805 --> 00:19:40,645 Speaker 3: with her to fish. 327 00:19:40,925 --> 00:19:42,645 Speaker 1: End quote. 328 00:19:42,965 --> 00:19:46,845 Speaker 3: So here he's offering to set up a meeting with Audrey. 329 00:19:47,605 --> 00:19:50,805 Speaker 3: Cassie replied, quote, I want to meet her too, but 330 00:19:50,885 --> 00:19:52,885 Speaker 3: if this comes back on me in any bad way, 331 00:19:52,965 --> 00:19:55,245 Speaker 3: I can lose her forever and I would kill you 332 00:19:55,285 --> 00:19:55,925 Speaker 3: then myself. 333 00:19:55,965 --> 00:19:56,245 Speaker 1: Man. 334 00:19:56,285 --> 00:19:59,805 Speaker 3: No threat, but a promise end quote. So then he says, 335 00:19:59,965 --> 00:20:02,565 Speaker 3: quote it wouldn't as long as no one says anything 336 00:20:02,605 --> 00:20:04,725 Speaker 3: about it being set up. No one would even know, 337 00:20:05,205 --> 00:20:08,445 Speaker 3: and she won't say anything to them. I'm your daughter's 338 00:20:08,485 --> 00:20:11,405 Speaker 3: favorite person, and she will not tell she wants to 339 00:20:11,445 --> 00:20:14,005 Speaker 3: meet you. I told you I'm on your team. 340 00:20:14,805 --> 00:20:17,045 Speaker 1: End quote. 341 00:20:17,365 --> 00:20:21,125 Speaker 3: Now, Cassie apparently got cold feet and did not agree 342 00:20:21,125 --> 00:20:25,125 Speaker 3: to this proposed meeting. I've seen reports that once she 343 00:20:25,285 --> 00:20:27,965 Speaker 3: suggested to Stephen that her boyfriend come with her, that 344 00:20:28,045 --> 00:20:30,245 Speaker 3: he kind of cut it off. But either way, the 345 00:20:30,285 --> 00:20:35,045 Speaker 3: meeting didn't happen. But rereading these texts is kind of 346 00:20:35,085 --> 00:20:38,925 Speaker 3: horrifying because I'm wondering what was Stephen planning to do 347 00:20:39,045 --> 00:20:42,485 Speaker 3: on Thursday. Could Audrey have already been dead and he 348 00:20:42,565 --> 00:20:44,605 Speaker 3: was trying to lure her mom out so that he 349 00:20:44,645 --> 00:20:48,085 Speaker 3: could potentially say there had been a parental abduction. Was 350 00:20:48,125 --> 00:20:54,005 Speaker 3: he planning on doing something to Audrey's mother as it 351 00:20:54,085 --> 00:20:56,685 Speaker 3: happened so often in these cases, there was not only 352 00:20:56,765 --> 00:20:59,885 Speaker 3: panic and drama in the community, but there was also 353 00:20:59,965 --> 00:21:03,125 Speaker 3: the family drama that was playing out on social media. 354 00:21:03,405 --> 00:21:07,445 Speaker 3: Early in the search for Audrey, online groups were created that, 355 00:21:07,565 --> 00:21:10,125 Speaker 3: of course friends or people connected to the family were 356 00:21:10,125 --> 00:21:13,405 Speaker 3: contributing to, and then of course a lot of people 357 00:21:13,405 --> 00:21:15,565 Speaker 3: were saying the mother and the father should have known 358 00:21:15,605 --> 00:21:19,885 Speaker 3: what was going on. Audrey's mom, Cassie, confronted these rumors, 359 00:21:20,245 --> 00:21:23,485 Speaker 3: and the rumors included a lot of commenters saying that 360 00:21:24,085 --> 00:21:26,685 Speaker 3: Cassie had lost custody of Audrey because she failed or 361 00:21:26,725 --> 00:21:30,085 Speaker 3: because there were drugs involved in some way. She has 362 00:21:30,165 --> 00:21:33,485 Speaker 3: said that that is an absolute lie. She wrote that 363 00:21:33,525 --> 00:21:36,445 Speaker 3: she had nothing to hide, and she accused people of 364 00:21:36,525 --> 00:21:40,845 Speaker 3: spreading bullshit online. Audrey's mother also spoke out and asked 365 00:21:40,885 --> 00:21:45,445 Speaker 3: anyone with information about Audrey's whereabouts to come forward. She 366 00:21:45,605 --> 00:21:49,405 Speaker 3: told the news channel KPRC, we have no leads, so 367 00:21:49,445 --> 00:21:52,805 Speaker 3: we are grasping at any string, any signs anything. In general, 368 00:21:53,245 --> 00:21:56,285 Speaker 3: you were broken, you're mad, You're empty, and right now 369 00:21:56,325 --> 00:22:00,485 Speaker 3: I am empty. Later, there was an online post that 370 00:22:00,525 --> 00:22:03,565 Speaker 3: Cassie made visible. The Daily Mail reported on it, and 371 00:22:03,605 --> 00:22:07,285 Speaker 3: The Daily Beasts followed up. She wrote, quote, I'll make 372 00:22:07,325 --> 00:22:10,405 Speaker 3: this clear one time, and one time only, I failed 373 00:22:10,405 --> 00:22:13,125 Speaker 3: my daughter by being bullied into submission by her father's 374 00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:15,685 Speaker 3: family and being made to believe she was in a safe, 375 00:22:15,845 --> 00:22:17,645 Speaker 3: loving and normal home with her father. 376 00:22:18,045 --> 00:22:18,565 Speaker 1: End quote. 377 00:22:19,645 --> 00:22:23,405 Speaker 3: Joshua Cunningham side of the family has been quieter, but 378 00:22:23,685 --> 00:22:26,325 Speaker 3: a man named Chris Booth addressed a crowd of reporters 379 00:22:26,365 --> 00:22:28,485 Speaker 3: and people from the community and said that he was 380 00:22:28,525 --> 00:22:29,885 Speaker 3: speaking on behalf of the family. 381 00:22:30,805 --> 00:22:34,805 Speaker 6: He said, I'm gonna ask that if you don't know anything, 382 00:22:35,565 --> 00:22:38,765 Speaker 6: don't say anything. All you're doing is hurting the family. 383 00:22:40,365 --> 00:22:43,845 Speaker 6: That makes no sense. You don't know what they're going through. 384 00:22:43,885 --> 00:22:47,005 Speaker 6: You don't know the circumstances. I do know Audrey is loved. 385 00:22:48,045 --> 00:22:51,245 Speaker 6: I know Audrey has cared for and I know Audrey 386 00:22:51,325 --> 00:22:54,405 Speaker 6: loved her grandmother, her father, her brother and family. I'm 387 00:22:54,405 --> 00:22:57,405 Speaker 6: asking everybody to stop the BS and I'm sorry for 388 00:22:57,445 --> 00:23:00,725 Speaker 6: the language, the BS on Facebook and all the garbage 389 00:23:00,805 --> 00:23:06,245 Speaker 6: talk on Facebook. You don't know the circumstances. Leave it alone. 390 00:23:07,285 --> 00:23:11,605 Speaker 3: But the truth is, with Stephen living there, clearly this 391 00:23:11,805 --> 00:23:21,765 Speaker 3: was far from a normal and healthy environment for a child. 392 00:23:23,445 --> 00:23:26,485 Speaker 3: One person who knew exactly what Stephen McDougall was capable 393 00:23:26,525 --> 00:23:28,685 Speaker 3: of was another one of his past victims. 394 00:23:29,405 --> 00:23:30,885 Speaker 1: Her name is Carissa Davis. 395 00:23:31,485 --> 00:23:35,085 Speaker 3: ABC thirteen did an interview with her about what happened 396 00:23:35,125 --> 00:23:38,605 Speaker 3: back in two thousand and seven. Back then, Carissa was 397 00:23:38,645 --> 00:23:41,645 Speaker 3: ten years old. She was at a family gathering and Stephen, 398 00:23:41,685 --> 00:23:43,885 Speaker 3: who was a friend of the families, came into the 399 00:23:43,885 --> 00:23:46,365 Speaker 3: bedroom that night where she was sleeping with one of 400 00:23:46,365 --> 00:23:49,925 Speaker 3: her cousins. She said Stephen pulled her cousin out of 401 00:23:49,925 --> 00:23:53,125 Speaker 3: the bed and then crawled in there. She said, quote 402 00:23:53,405 --> 00:23:55,685 Speaker 3: he tried to take down my pants and I immediately 403 00:23:55,765 --> 00:23:58,445 Speaker 3: jumped up at that moment, I remember looking at him. 404 00:23:58,485 --> 00:24:00,445 Speaker 1: I was like, do you know how old I am? 405 00:24:00,805 --> 00:24:01,845 Speaker 1: End quote. 406 00:24:02,125 --> 00:24:05,085 Speaker 3: The grand jury indictment backed up Caris's version of events. 407 00:24:06,085 --> 00:24:09,805 Speaker 3: The indictment explained that Stephen had removed another female from 408 00:24:09,805 --> 00:24:13,165 Speaker 3: the bed where his victim was sleeping, then pulled down 409 00:24:13,205 --> 00:24:16,645 Speaker 3: her pajama bottoms and underwear. But it didn't stop there 410 00:24:16,725 --> 00:24:21,005 Speaker 3: because Carrissa managed to break free and she tried to 411 00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:25,005 Speaker 3: run outside, but then Stephen chased her and grabbed her again. 412 00:24:25,725 --> 00:24:28,405 Speaker 3: She said she started hitting him and she managed to 413 00:24:28,445 --> 00:24:31,965 Speaker 3: break free. Her family called the police and he was arrested. 414 00:24:32,725 --> 00:24:36,285 Speaker 3: Stephen was originally charged with attempted indecency with a child, 415 00:24:36,925 --> 00:24:39,805 Speaker 3: but he was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser 416 00:24:39,885 --> 00:24:44,165 Speaker 3: charge of child enticement. Now crucially, this meant he did 417 00:24:44,205 --> 00:24:46,685 Speaker 3: not have to register as a sex offender, so if 418 00:24:46,725 --> 00:24:48,965 Speaker 3: you look him up in the sex offender registry, nothing 419 00:24:48,965 --> 00:24:51,605 Speaker 3: would come up. Under his name. And in addition to that, 420 00:24:51,765 --> 00:24:53,805 Speaker 3: even though he was sentenced to two years in prison, 421 00:24:54,285 --> 00:24:56,885 Speaker 3: he got credit for time served for the time he'd 422 00:24:56,885 --> 00:24:59,965 Speaker 3: been waiting around for trial, so he was out in 423 00:25:00,085 --> 00:25:04,685 Speaker 3: six months. And even more shocking than this to me 424 00:25:04,925 --> 00:25:07,805 Speaker 3: is the fact that that members of Stephen's family said 425 00:25:07,845 --> 00:25:11,205 Speaker 3: this incident was just exaggerated, They backed him up, and 426 00:25:11,285 --> 00:25:14,565 Speaker 3: some of them actually seemed to blame the victim. I 427 00:25:14,565 --> 00:25:17,045 Speaker 3: have seen this play out in so many other cases, 428 00:25:17,045 --> 00:25:22,125 Speaker 3: and it is always shocking to me. Stephen's mother joined 429 00:25:22,165 --> 00:25:24,925 Speaker 3: one of the social media groups that was created after 430 00:25:24,965 --> 00:25:30,605 Speaker 3: Audrey disappeared. Now, according to commenters, this post has been removed, 431 00:25:30,845 --> 00:25:34,125 Speaker 3: but there were comments in there allegedly made by members 432 00:25:34,125 --> 00:25:37,405 Speaker 3: of Stephen's family that called this ten year old victim 433 00:25:37,525 --> 00:25:42,165 Speaker 3: a little bitch, and there are screenshots that people in 434 00:25:42,205 --> 00:25:44,965 Speaker 3: the group have taken of other people in Stephen's family 435 00:25:45,165 --> 00:25:49,405 Speaker 3: liking that post. And another commenter, someone who said that 436 00:25:49,485 --> 00:25:52,085 Speaker 3: she was a friend of one of Stephen's sisters, said 437 00:25:52,125 --> 00:25:54,285 Speaker 3: she had ended the friendship with that sister because she 438 00:25:54,405 --> 00:25:57,925 Speaker 3: claimed that when she brought up the incident, the sister 439 00:25:58,085 --> 00:26:01,445 Speaker 3: said it was exaggerated and that this little girl had 440 00:26:01,485 --> 00:26:04,645 Speaker 3: made up the story, and this person said they had 441 00:26:04,685 --> 00:26:07,045 Speaker 3: told Stevens sister they don't believe that children make up 442 00:26:07,085 --> 00:26:11,005 Speaker 3: stories like that. The bottom line was this friend of 443 00:26:11,045 --> 00:26:15,525 Speaker 3: Stephen's families absolutely believed there were people in this family 444 00:26:15,725 --> 00:26:18,365 Speaker 3: who knew, or at least should have known, about his proclivities. 445 00:26:21,405 --> 00:26:25,285 Speaker 3: Sheriff Lynes told CNN that before Stephen was arrested, he 446 00:26:25,325 --> 00:26:28,925 Speaker 3: had been out searching for Audrey. Stephen had inserted himself 447 00:26:28,925 --> 00:26:31,165 Speaker 3: into the case. He had been going door to or 448 00:26:31,205 --> 00:26:34,445 Speaker 3: looking for her. We've seen this a lot in these cases. 449 00:26:35,285 --> 00:26:37,805 Speaker 3: There seemed to be two responses. 450 00:26:37,285 --> 00:26:38,685 Speaker 1: In general from guilty people. 451 00:26:39,165 --> 00:26:42,565 Speaker 3: Some people completely avoid looking or being present at all, 452 00:26:43,365 --> 00:26:46,845 Speaker 3: or sometimes they seem a little too overly involved in 453 00:26:46,885 --> 00:26:51,965 Speaker 3: the investigation. Now, again, Stephen is innocent until proven guilty. 454 00:26:52,565 --> 00:26:55,165 Speaker 3: We don't know what he has said to police. Law 455 00:26:55,245 --> 00:26:59,125 Speaker 3: enforcement has stated when the Texas Rangers initially questioned him, 456 00:26:59,245 --> 00:27:02,285 Speaker 3: he said, quote, I'm not guilty. I was there and 457 00:27:02,365 --> 00:27:05,325 Speaker 3: was questioned. I am not running or hiding. I've done 458 00:27:05,525 --> 00:27:07,885 Speaker 3: everything I can to help find her. I've done nothing 459 00:27:07,925 --> 00:27:13,325 Speaker 3: wrong end quote. And again, I just want to say 460 00:27:13,325 --> 00:27:16,325 Speaker 3: I think the police did a great job, not only 461 00:27:16,405 --> 00:27:19,885 Speaker 3: with finding Audrey's body, in cooperating with other agencies, but 462 00:27:19,965 --> 00:27:25,205 Speaker 3: also they put out a photo of Stephen's two thousand 463 00:27:25,205 --> 00:27:28,365 Speaker 3: and three Chevy Suburban and they asked anyone who had 464 00:27:28,365 --> 00:27:30,485 Speaker 3: seen that vehicle to come. 465 00:27:30,285 --> 00:27:31,805 Speaker 1: Forward, and it worked. 466 00:27:32,125 --> 00:27:34,765 Speaker 3: A store clerk at the Exxon in Cold Spring told 467 00:27:34,805 --> 00:27:38,485 Speaker 3: the news channel KPRC two that after she saw the 468 00:27:38,525 --> 00:27:41,765 Speaker 3: Amber alert, she realized she had seen Stephen in her 469 00:27:41,765 --> 00:27:44,085 Speaker 3: convenience store at around nine am on the morning of 470 00:27:44,125 --> 00:27:47,565 Speaker 3: February fifteenth. Now this would have been around two hours 471 00:27:47,645 --> 00:27:51,365 Speaker 3: after Audrey missed her bus. She said she definitely remembered 472 00:27:51,365 --> 00:27:54,565 Speaker 3: Stephen because he's, in her words, so ugly. It's a 473 00:27:54,565 --> 00:27:58,165 Speaker 3: face you don't forget. So because of this quick work 474 00:27:58,205 --> 00:28:00,325 Speaker 3: by the police in issuing the Amber alert and the 475 00:28:00,445 --> 00:28:03,605 Speaker 3: vehicle of interest, the gas station attendant called the police. 476 00:28:03,645 --> 00:28:05,725 Speaker 3: Police came in and they were able to pull the 477 00:28:05,765 --> 00:28:08,805 Speaker 3: gas station video. Again, this is a great thing because 478 00:28:08,845 --> 00:28:11,245 Speaker 3: we know in so many of these cases sometimes law 479 00:28:11,325 --> 00:28:13,965 Speaker 3: enforcement waits too long and the footage has been deleted 480 00:28:14,005 --> 00:28:18,525 Speaker 3: or taped over. Police were also able to obtain social 481 00:28:18,605 --> 00:28:23,085 Speaker 3: media information from Stephen. Later that night, the evening of 482 00:28:23,085 --> 00:28:27,085 Speaker 3: February fifteenth, Stephen or someone using his account, posted his 483 00:28:27,125 --> 00:28:31,605 Speaker 3: Facebook page, Stephen was selling a lot of stuff. According 484 00:28:31,645 --> 00:28:36,365 Speaker 3: to KPRC two, whoever posted those messages wrote all must go. 485 00:28:36,925 --> 00:28:39,365 Speaker 3: This included a set of weights with one of the 486 00:28:39,365 --> 00:28:42,805 Speaker 3: weights missing, an everlast boxing bag, and a green paddle 487 00:28:42,805 --> 00:28:45,165 Speaker 3: and the total for all these items was twelve hundred 488 00:28:45,165 --> 00:28:48,565 Speaker 3: and thirty four dollars. So I have a couple of 489 00:28:48,645 --> 00:28:50,925 Speaker 3: questions about this, like what did he do with the 490 00:28:50,965 --> 00:28:52,165 Speaker 3: twenty five pound weight? 491 00:28:52,245 --> 00:28:53,205 Speaker 1: Why was that missing? 492 00:28:53,885 --> 00:28:56,565 Speaker 3: Was it just a coincidence that Audrey's body was weighed down? 493 00:28:57,845 --> 00:29:00,445 Speaker 3: Is that weight somewhere random or could it be in 494 00:29:00,445 --> 00:29:03,685 Speaker 3: the river too. I'm sure that much more information will 495 00:29:03,685 --> 00:29:06,725 Speaker 3: come out about what actually happened to aud as we 496 00:29:06,765 --> 00:29:10,445 Speaker 3: get closer to a trial or a plea deal. As 497 00:29:10,445 --> 00:29:14,405 Speaker 3: of now, Don Stephen Cunningham is in the Polk County jail. 498 00:29:16,645 --> 00:29:20,205 Speaker 3: So we've talked about the good news, how law enforcement 499 00:29:20,245 --> 00:29:23,605 Speaker 3: has said, how vital citizen information and footage was in 500 00:29:23,725 --> 00:29:26,565 Speaker 3: helping in the search for Audrey and the criminal investigation 501 00:29:26,605 --> 00:29:31,285 Speaker 3: in this case. And now we're going to get to 502 00:29:31,285 --> 00:29:34,605 Speaker 3: the bad news because the reality is, yes, the guy 503 00:29:34,725 --> 00:29:37,885 Speaker 3: was caught quickly, but an eleven year old girl is dead, 504 00:29:38,565 --> 00:29:40,725 Speaker 3: and the fact that this was allowed to happen. That 505 00:29:40,805 --> 00:29:43,005 Speaker 3: she was allowed to be taken care of for so 506 00:29:43,205 --> 00:29:46,125 Speaker 3: long by this sexual predator just shows, in my opinion, 507 00:29:47,045 --> 00:29:49,925 Speaker 3: how she was failed by so many people on so 508 00:29:50,045 --> 00:29:55,005 Speaker 3: many levels. We've seen this over and over in past 509 00:29:55,085 --> 00:29:59,525 Speaker 3: cases with the cass County three, with Christina Pipkin's case, 510 00:30:00,085 --> 00:30:03,205 Speaker 3: how there are sexual predators who were allowed to interact 511 00:30:03,205 --> 00:30:07,645 Speaker 3: with children. And it's too late for little Audrey, but 512 00:30:07,685 --> 00:30:10,045 Speaker 3: there are so many other children out there who can 513 00:30:10,085 --> 00:30:15,205 Speaker 3: be helped. Stephen's former victim, Carrisa Gates, who was attacked 514 00:30:15,205 --> 00:30:17,845 Speaker 3: by Stephen when she was ten years old, the one 515 00:30:17,885 --> 00:30:21,165 Speaker 3: who bravely shared her story, wrote something at the bottom 516 00:30:21,165 --> 00:30:25,645 Speaker 3: of her Facebook post. She wrote, I'm not the only victim, 517 00:30:26,045 --> 00:30:29,005 Speaker 3: and that's the terrifying part. There are so many other 518 00:30:29,085 --> 00:30:32,445 Speaker 3: victims out there. As many of you know, I'm all 519 00:30:32,485 --> 00:30:35,805 Speaker 3: about calls to action on this podcast. So many people 520 00:30:35,965 --> 00:30:38,925 Speaker 3: always ask what can I do? And I'm reading a 521 00:30:38,925 --> 00:30:41,165 Speaker 3: lot of these social media comments and people are leaving 522 00:30:41,205 --> 00:30:45,325 Speaker 3: bouquets of flowers or photoshopping angel wings onto Audrey, or 523 00:30:46,005 --> 00:30:48,925 Speaker 3: suggesting painting a bridge or a park bench in her honor. 524 00:30:48,965 --> 00:30:50,405 Speaker 1: And don't get me wrong, those. 525 00:30:50,245 --> 00:30:54,645 Speaker 3: Are all lovely sentiments, but for me, honestly, if you 526 00:30:54,765 --> 00:30:58,685 Speaker 3: want to do something to help victims, my suggestion is 527 00:30:58,725 --> 00:31:02,085 Speaker 3: that you take a hard look around your family, your friends, 528 00:31:02,125 --> 00:31:05,765 Speaker 3: and your community and look for situations where children could 529 00:31:05,765 --> 00:31:10,805 Speaker 3: be at risk, because they are everywhere. Let's not wait 530 00:31:10,885 --> 00:31:13,165 Speaker 3: to drag a body out of a river before other 531 00:31:13,285 --> 00:31:16,085 Speaker 3: victims of sexual assault are helped and these predators and 532 00:31:16,165 --> 00:31:20,485 Speaker 3: potential killers are exposed and put behind bars where they belong. 533 00:31:21,725 --> 00:31:22,805 Speaker 1: I'm Catherine Townsend. 534 00:31:23,365 --> 00:31:30,405 Speaker 3: This is Helen Gone Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line 535 00:31:30,485 --> 00:31:33,005 Speaker 3: is a production of School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. 536 00:31:33,325 --> 00:31:36,445 Speaker 3: It's written and narrated by me, Catherine Townsend and produced 537 00:31:36,445 --> 00:31:41,325 Speaker 3: by Gabby Watts. Music contributed by Ben Sale. Executive producers 538 00:31:41,365 --> 00:31:45,445 Speaker 3: are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and Elsie Crotley. If you 539 00:31:45,565 --> 00:31:47,125 Speaker 3: have a case you'd like me and my team to 540 00:31:47,165 --> 00:31:49,445 Speaker 3: look into, you can reach out to us at our 541 00:31:49,445 --> 00:31:52,485 Speaker 3: Helen Gone Murder Line at six seven eight seven four 542 00:31:52,565 --> 00:31:55,965 Speaker 3: four six one four or five. That's six seven eight 543 00:31:56,285 --> 00:31:58,765 Speaker 3: seven four four six one four five. 544 00:32:08,365 --> 00:32:09,285 Speaker 1: School of Humans