HOUSTON — The family of 60-year-old Donnell Cunningham is asking for the public’s help in locating him after he went missing nearly a week ago from his mother’s home in southeast Houston.
Cunningham, affectionately known as “Peanut,” was last seen around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 20, on Eastwood Street and Idaho Street, where he lives with his mother. He has not been seen or heard from since.
His family, devastated by his disappearance, immediately began searching the neighborhood, checking local businesses, and calling out his name. His sisters, Tonia and Pamela, also created and distributed flyers to raise awareness.
A missing person report was officially filed with the Houston Police Department on June 24. Investigators note Cunningham was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue jeans, and beige New Balance shoes with an orange “N” on the side.
He is described as a 5-foot-7-inch man with brown eyes and black hair, weighing approximately 165 pounds.
What makes the search more urgent, his family says, is that Cunningham was born hearing-impaired.
“He may not be able to hear someone calling his name, making it harder for him to respond or ask for help,” officials said in a written release. “This reality weighs heavily on his loved ones, who are desperate for answers and praying for his safe return.”
The community is organizing a search effort Friday evening, starting at 6 p.m. at Cullen Street and Idaho Street in Houston. Friends, family, and volunteers will continue passing out flyers and looking for leads.
Anyone with information on Donnell Cunningham’s whereabouts is urged to call the Houston Police Department Missing Persons Unit at 832-394-1840 and reference case #816863-25.
What to do when someone goes missing
Thousands of people go missing every year across the United States, and there are organizations and law enforcement agencies that work to bring them home to their loved ones.
The Texas Center for the Missing is an organization with Houston roots that works to educate loved ones and authorities on finding the lost.
The nonprofit has resources for families of missing children or endangered adults.