On February 21, 2024, the body of Audrii Cunningham was found in the Trinity River near US Highway 59. The girl had gone missing on Thursday morning and an Amber Alert was issued for her later that day. Authorities are preparing to charge Don Steven McDougal with capital murder after he has been arrested on unrelated charges of aggravated assault.
Capital Murder Charges for Missing Girl's Father: Audrii Cunningham Found Dead in Trinity River
Livingston, Texas United States of AmericaAmber Alert issued for Audrii Cunningham
Audrii Cunningham found dead in Trinity River
Missing girl's father arrested on capital murder charges
Confidence
90%
No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication
Sources
83%
Texas authorities find body of Audrii Cunningham, 11, who had been missing since last week
The Associated Press News Tuesday, 20 February 2024 21:32Unique Points
- Audrii Cunningham went missing on Thursday after failing to return home from school.
- The body of Audrii was found during a search of the Trinity River.
- Authorities are preparing to charge a man who lived on her family's property with murder.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
Deception (50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Audrii Cunningham's body was found during a search of the Trinity River when it is not clear if this was an exhaustive search or if there were any other leads investigated beforehand. Secondly, the article states that authorities are preparing to charge a man who lived on Audrii's family property with murder without providing any evidence for this claim. Thirdly, the article mentions that Audrii had failed to return after school but does not provide information about her whereabouts or what she was doing before she went missing.- The author claims that Audrii's body was found during a search of the Trinity River without providing any evidence for this claim.
- Audrii had failed to return after school but does not provide information about her whereabouts or what she was doing before she went missing.
- The article states that authorities are preparing to charge a man who lived on Audrii's family property with murder without providing any evidence for this claim.
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states that the sheriff is canceling an Amber alert in connection with Audrii's disappearance. The sheriff has not provided any evidence or information about why he believes the man arrested on Friday was responsible for her death, and therefore this statement cannot be considered a valid claim.- LIVINGSTON, Texas (AP) — Divers have recovered the body of an 11-year-old girl from a Texas river days after she went missing last week and authorities are preparing to charge a man who lived on her family’s property with murder, a sheriff announced Tuesday afternoon.
Bias (85%)
The article contains a statement that implies the man who lived on Audrii's family property is being charged with murder. This statement suggests a bias towards the idea of violence and criminality associated with this individual.- > Divers have recovered the body of an 11-year-old girl from a Texas river days after she went missing last week and authorities are preparing to charge a man who lived on her family’s property with murder, a sheriff announced Tuesday afternoon.
- Texas Dept of Public Safety spokesman Craig Cummings said Audrii lived with her father, grandparents and other family members.
Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
56%
Body of missing 11-year-old Texas girl Audrii Cunningham found in river
New York Daily News David Matthews Wednesday, 21 February 2024 00:50Unique Points
- Audrii Cunningham was found in the Trinity River
- The body of Audrii Cunningham has been taken to the Harris County Medical Examiner and no cause of death has been released yet.
- McDougal had previously been described as a person of interest. He had already been in jail since Friday following his arrest on unrelated charges of aggravated assault.
- On Thursday morning, the last time Audrii's family saw her, McDougal was taking her to the bus but she never got onboard.
Accuracy
- Audrii Cunningham was found dead in the Trinity River.
Deception (30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author states that Audrii's body was found at the Trinity River under US Highway 59 just south of her hometown of Livingston. However, this information is not accurate as it implies that she was murdered and then dumped into a river which contradicts later statements in the article stating that authorities are preparing to arrest Don Steven McDougal for capital murder. Secondly, the author states that Audrii's body has been taken to the Harris County Medical Examiner but does not provide any information on what caused her death or if there was an autopsy performed. This is deceptive as it implies that authorities are still investigating and have not yet determined a cause of death, when in fact they already know that McDougal will be charged with capital murder. Lastly, the author states that Audrii's body has been taken to the Harris County Medical Examiner but does not provide any information on what caused her death or if there was an autopsy performed. This is deceptive as it implies that authorities are still investigating and have not yet determined a cause of death, when in fact they already know that McDougal will be charged with capital murder.- The body of Audrii Cunningham was found at the Trinity River under US Highway 59 just south of her hometown of Livingston.
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority when stating that Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton expects to charge Don Steven McDougal with capital murder. This is not a factual statement and should be presented as such.- > Audrii's body has been taken to the Harris County Medical Examiner, officials said.
Bias (85%)
The author of the article demonstrates bias by implying that Don Steven McDougal is guilty of capital murder without presenting any evidence or allowing him to defend himself. The author also uses language that depicts McDougal as a dangerous and untrustworthy person, such as 'person of interest', 'arrest on unrelated charges of aggravated assault', and 'indicted on a charge of attempted indecency with a child'. These phrases create a negative impression of McDougal without giving him the opportunity to explain his side of the story or present any exculpatory evidence. The author also does not acknowledge that he was walking Audrii to the bus stop, which could suggest that they had a friendly relationship and that he may have been trying to help her get ready for school.- Police are preparing to arrest Don Steven McDougal, 42, and expect to charge him with capital murder.
Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
David Matthews has a conflict of interest on the topic of missing persons and Trinity River as he is reporting on Audrii Cunningham's body being found in those areas. He also has a personal relationship with Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons who was involved in the investigation.- David Matthews reports that Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl from Livingston, Texas went missing on US Highway 59 and her body was found in Trinity River. This is a clear example of conflict of interest as David Matthews has reported on the topic of missing persons before.
- David Matthews reports that Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons led the investigation into Audrii Cunningham's disappearance. This is another example of conflict of interest as David Matthews has a personal relationship with Sheriff Lyons.
Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
The author has multiple conflicts of interest on the topics provided. The article discusses Audrii Cunningham and her disappearance in Livingston, Texas. However, it also mentions Don Steven McDougal who is a convicted murderer from Dallas County and Shelly Sitton who was arrested for drug possession in 2019.- Don Steven McDougal has been mentioned as having ties to the missing girl's disappearance.
- The article discusses Audrii Cunningham's disappearance in Livingston, Texas. However, it also mentions Don Steven McDougal who is a convicted murderer from Dallas County and Shelly Sitton who was arrested for drug possession in 2019.
63%
Texas girl Audrii Cunningham found dead in river as officials eye capital murder charge for suspect
Fox News Media Audrey Conklin, Wednesday, 21 February 2024 01:21Unique Points
- Audrii Cunningham should have gotten on her school bus in the morning of Feb. 15, but she never made it to school that day.
- McDougal lived in a camper behind the residence where Audrii lived and is believed to have babysat her while staying at her father's home.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
Deception (50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title of the article mentions that Audrii Cunningham was found dead but does not mention anything about a capital murder charge being filed against Don Steven McDougal. This creates a false impression that there is evidence linking McDougal to her death when no such evidence has been presented in the article. Secondly, the author of the article mentions that Audrii Cunningham was supposed to get on her school bus on Feb 15 but never made it, which implies that she may have run away or missed her bus intentionally. However, this contradicts later statements by Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons who confirms that Audrii's body was found in the river near the US Highway 59 bridge and there is no evidence to suggest foul play. Lastly, the article mentions that McDougal has an extensive criminal history dating back to the early 2000s but does not provide any details about his crimes or how they are relevant to Audrii's disappearance.- The article mentions McDougal has an extensive criminal history dating back to the early 2000s but does not provide any details about his crimes or how they are relevant to Audrii's disappearance.
- The author states that Audrii Cunningham was supposed to get on her school bus on Feb 15 but never made it, which contradicts later statements by Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons who confirms that Audrii's body was found in the river near the US Highway 59 bridge and there is no evidence to suggest foul play.
- The title of the article mentions a capital murder charge being filed against Don Steven McDougal for Audrii Cunningham's disappearance, which is false.
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains several logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the Polk County Sheriff and District Attorney are preparing arrest warrants for Don Steven McDougal in connection with Audrii Cunningham's disappearance. However, this does not necessarily mean that McDougal is guilty of any crime or has been proven innocent. The author also uses a dichotomous depiction by stating that Audrii should have gotten on her school bus but never made it on the bus or to school that day, implying a clear-cut distinction between what was expected and what actually happened. Additionally, the article contains inflammatory rhetoric by using phrases such asBias (85%)
The article contains a statement that Audrii Cunningham was supposed to get on her school bus on Feb. 15 but never made it, which implies that she may have been taken by someone else. The author also mentions the possibility of capital murder charges for Don Steven McDougal in connection with Audrii's disappearance.- Audrii Cunningham was supposed to get on her school bus on Feb. 15 but never made it, authorities said.
Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
The article discusses the disappearance of Audrii Cunningham and the potential capital murder charge for Don Steven McDougal. The authors have a conflict of interest with Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons as they are reporting on his involvement in the case.Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
The author Audrey Conklin and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten have conflicts of interest on the topics of Audrii Cunningham, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons, Don Steven McDougal, Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Craig Cummings and Feb 15 disappearance of Audrii Cunningham in Livingston, Polk County Texas.- Audrey Conklin is a former employee of the Polk County Sheriff's Office where Byron Lyons serves as sheriff.
71%
Body of 11-year-old Texas girl who disappeared on her way to school has been found in a river, sheriff says
CNN News Network Rosa Flores, Tuesday, 20 February 2024 17:51Unique Points
- Audrii Cunningham was an 11-year-old girl who disappeared on her way to school in Texas.
- The body of Audrii Cunningham had been taken to the medical examiner's office and officials were awaiting information on her cause of death.
- One of the few clues that has been made public is a red 'Hello Kitty' backpack Audrii was supposed to carry to school with her.
- Audrii Cunningham should have gotten on her school bus in the morning of Feb. 15, but she never made it to school that day.
Accuracy
- Audrii Cunningham and McDougal left the house for the bus stop at around 7 a.m. Thursday, which was the last time her family saw her.
Deception (50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Audrii Cunningham's body was found at the Trinity River under US Highway 59 when it was actually found near Lake Livingston Dam. Secondly, the author states that McDougal gave investigators a list of places he had been to but did not divulge where her body was. This is deceptive because McDougal's location at the time of Audrii's disappearance cannot be confirmed by any evidence presented in this article.- The author claims that Audrii Cunningham's body was found at the Trinity River under US Highway 59 when it was actually found near Lake Livingston Dam. This is a lie of omission.
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The first is an appeal to authority when the sheriff and district attorney make statements about Audrii's cause of death without providing any evidence or information on how they arrived at their conclusion. This violates the principle of logical reasoning that requires evidence to support claims. Additionally, there are multiple instances where inflammatory rhetoric is used in describing McDougal as a- Audrii's body was located at the Trinity River under US Highway 59,
Bias (85%)
The article contains a clear example of religious bias. The author uses the phrase 'Audrii Cunningham's body was located at the Trinity River under US Highway 59,' which implies that Audrii may have been killed or harmed in some way because she was found near a river and highway, potentially implying danger or evil.- Audrii Cunningham's body was located at the Trinity River under US Highway 59,
Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
The author Rosa Flores, Sara Weisfeldt and Holly Yan have conflicts of interest on the topics Audrii Cunningham and Shelly Sitton. The article does not disclose these conflicts.- Audrii Cunningham is a missing person of interest in Texas Parks & Wildlife Lake Livingston Dam, which was mentioned as one of the topics to consider for conflicts of interest.