Audrii Cunningham (L); Her last art project (R).Photo:Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Livingston Independent School District
Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Livingston Independent School District
Audrii Cunningham finished school on Feb. 14 and never returned — but she left behind her spirit with a group project she completed on her last day of school.
Now, her name hangs in the hallway alongside the project, Dr. Brent Hawkins, superintendent of Livingston Independent School District in Texas, tells PEOPLE.
Cunningham, 11, was reported missing on Feb. 15 when shedid not show up to school, authorities said previously. Her body was discoveredtied to a rockin the Trinity River on Tuesday.
Texas authoritiescharged Don Steven McDougal, a friend of her family, with capital murder in connection with her death.
McDougal was allegedly the last person to be seen with her, authorities have said. Hawkins tells PEOPLE McDougal had brought Audrii to school as recently as Feb. 12.
“She was a family member at the school,” Hawkins says. “We watched her grow up in our school.”
Audrii was a “people person” with an “infectious smile,” Hawkins says, echoing what her family members have said about the girl.
“No matter where she went or who she met, she just made them light up,” Audrii’s aunt, Brenda Cedars, said at a vigil for her on Wednesday, according toCNN.
Audrii also had a knack for making people around her happy.
“She could always make you laugh, no matter what kind of mood you were in. It just isn’t fair that we all got robbed of that,” Cedars said, according to CNN.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, a non-profit veterans organization with which Audrii was connected through a family member, also remembers the fifth grader in a similar way.
“Audrii loves the VFW and has spent many days making us laugh and learning to dance,” the organizationsaidin a Facebook post before her body was discovered. “Our hearts are breaking. We love you sweet girl.”
Audrii Cunningham’s last school project.Livingston Independent School District
Livingston Independent School District
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Audrii’s presence is now marked through her absence in the classroom and with her name written in purple — her favorite color — in the school hallway.
For the “High 5” project she completed on her last day, she signed her name in purple ink with a heart next to it, a photo of the project shows.
“It’s a very emotional time for their teachers as well as those kiddos. They look over there and see an empty desk where she was,” he says. “They have no answers for what happened.”
source: people.com
