Audrii Cunningham's visitation attended by hundreds

HOUSTON - "It's been unimaginable," said Brad Butler, minister for Livingston ISD. "You lose students to accidents, you have tragedy, but this is beyond anything that normally happens. It's been absolutely devastating."

The loss of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham has brought the Livingston community closer in shared grief.

"One of the things I love about this town is how it rallies together when there's been some type of tragedy or triumph for that matter," said Brett Lester, lead pastor for First Baptist Church.

SUGGESTED: Audrii Cunningham autopsy reveals cause of death

Cunningham's murder became national news after she became the subject of an Amber Alert last month.

Her body was discovered on Feb. 15 and her alleged killer is 42-year-old family friend Don Steven McDougal.

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Audrii's relatives describe her as a beautiful kind young lady who liked singing dancing reading and painting.

"I was actually at her birthday party last month and she was so full of life and excited," said longtime family friend Horace Cooper. "She wanted to be a vet she loved pets and animals."

"The best way to respond to this would be how are we going to volunteer in our schools how are we going to be foster parents how are we going to rally around the children of this community," Lester said.