AJ Freund, a missing boy from Crystal Lake, Illinois, reportedly found dead in a shallow grave; cause of death detailed



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The investigators discovered what they thought was the body of a 5 year old boy who disappeared from his suburban home in Chicago almost a week ago. The remains of the police who are those of Andrew "AJ" Freund were found wrapped in plastic in a shallow grave in a remote area of ​​Woodstock, Illinois, about 11 km from the home of the Young boy, said Wednesday Crystal Lake Police Chief James Black.

Both parents of the child were charged with murder, murder and other charges and were fined $ 5 million each when they appeared Thursday morning in court. , reports CBS Chicago.

On April 18, his father reportedly disappeared from his home in Crystal Lake. In a 911 call released on TuesdayThe boy's father, Andrew Freund Sr., claimed to have seen the boy for the last time when he went to bed the night before. Elder Freund, 60, said the boy was missing when he returned home the next morning, after consulting a doctor early.

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Andrew "AJ" Freund

Handout


During Wednesday morning interviews with Crystal Lake Police and the FBI, Andrew Freund Sr. and the child's mother, JoAnn Cunningham, 35, were confronted with a forensic analysis of the data mobile phones developed by the investigators. Both then provided information that led to the body's recovery, Black said.

Criminal complaints allege that, on April 15, each parent forced the boy to remain under a cold shower for an extended period of time, then struck him to the body, "knowing that these acts created a high probability of death or death. serious bodily injury. "

A complaint for Cunningham also alleges that she hit the boy on March 4, and a complaint for Andrew Freund Sr. claims to have buried the body of the child.

The McHenry County Coroner's Office has not yet released the official cause of his death.

"For the AJ family, I hope you'll have some comfort knowing that AJ is no longer suffering and that her killers have been brought to justice," Black said after their arrest on Wednesday. . "I would also like to thank the community for their support and assistance during this difficult time, and for AJ, we know you are at peace and play in the sky playground and we are happy that we will not have to suffer anymore. "

Cunningham is charged with five counts of first degree murder, four aggravated battery charges, two counts of murder of a domestic battery and a charge of no. -declaration of a missing child or his death.

Elder Andrew Freund has been charged with five counts of first degree murder, two aggravated battery charges, one aggravated domestic battery chief, two counts of concealment of mischief. a homicide death and a breach of duty to report a missing child or the death of a child. .

Cunningham, who was seven months pregnant, appeared to refrain from crying in court as prosecutors detailed the charges, CBS Chicago reported.

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Sheryl Cook


Investigators were seen at the family's home Wednesday removing a shovel, the mattress from a child's bed, several large bags and a large plastic bin, and loading them into a van. team of evidence, depending on the station.

On Tuesday, the department released over 60 pages of police reports written by police who responded to various calls about the house, located about 45 km northwest of Chicago. Reports say agents have been to the family's home 10 times over the last five years, often pointing to the poor state of the home, according to CBS Chicago.

A report said he saw the house littered with dog dung and urine, as well as a children 's room where "the smell of feces was overwhelming". According to another report, the agent reportedly found the house "cluttered, dirty and in poor condition", and without electricity.

Dad's 911 call released during the search for a missing Illinois boy

The heavily redacted reports also indicate that public child protection officers were summoned after the police noticed a major bruise on one of the young boys who lived there in December, but that the children seemed "healthy and happy" and had not come out of the house. Cunningham said the bruise "had to come from the dog".

Prior to their arrest on criminal charges, Cunningham and Freund appeared in court on Tuesday to seek custody of their 4-year-old son, Parker. Parker was arrested Thursday by the Department of Child and Family Services of Illinois after AJ's disappearance by his parents.

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Crystal Lake Police via CBS Chicago


In a statement issued at CBS Chicago, Marc Smith, acting director of DCFS, described the news of AJ Freund's death as "heartbreaking". DCFS has been in contact with the family since the birth of AJ, born with opiates in his body in 2013. The Northwest Herald said he was in foster care for two years before being returned to his parents.

"Protecting the vulnerable children who are our focus is at the heart of our mission at DCFS," Smith said. "We all feel this loss and our priority is to look after the care and safety of Andrew's younger brother."

Smith said the ministry would conduct a "comprehensive review of our overall work with Andrew's family to understand our shortcomings and to be as transparent as possible to the public about any steps we take to solve these problems. "

In March, Governor J. B. Pritzker ordered an independent review of the DCFS after the death of a 2-year-old girl in Decatur and a 2-year-old boy in Chicago. Child protection officers had contact with both families.

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