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The bond was set at $ 5 million Thursday morning for each parent of Andrew "AJ" Freund, charged with murder several hours after authorities discovered what they thought was the boy's body of Crystal Lake in a falls shallow near Woodstock.
JoAnn Cunningham and Andrew Freund face numerous charges in the death of the boy, who was reported missing by his father a week ago. The two men had bail hearings on Thursday morning at McHenry County Jail, Cunningham appearing first, and were sentenced to $ 5 million bail, for which they would each be required to pay bail of 10. %.
Each accused was brought separately for a hearing. They both wore orange pants, a shirt and shoes provided by the prison. Cunningham was visibly pregnant at seven months. She shook her head from one side to the other and seemed to hold back her tears as the charges were read, then wiped her eyes. Freund grabbed the podium and then held hands crossed behind or in front of him during the hearing, without showing any emotion.
A prosecutor said in court that Freund had forced the boy to take a cold shower for an extended period and beat him.
Freund and Cunningham were charged with first degree murder, severe beatings, domestic abuse and failure to report a missing child or death. Freund has also been accused of concealing a homicide death.
In court, Judge Mark Gerhardt told both parents: "These are serious allegations." Spectators could not hear much from what the lawyer said because of defective microphones in the tiny court, where the gallery is separated from the court by windows.
The murder charge is punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison, which can be extended to life imprisonment under certain circumstances, the judge said. The next date of the accused's hearing was set for Monday.
"To see what kind of people would do something like this to kids. It's horrible, "said Patti Kokonas, a resident of Crystal Lake who attended the hearing.
"I do not know what people think. … I do not feel sorry for them at all, "added Kokonas.
She criticized the role of the Department of Child and Family Services of Illinois, who had initially taken custody of AJ after she was born with opiates in her system, and then made the boy to his mother.
The agency then investigated two allegations of negligence on the part of the parents. Although the police reported deplorable living conditions in the house, including dog feces and urine, broken floors and windows, a prolonged power outage and a bruise to AJ attributed to the dog from the house. family, agency officials concluded that the charges were unfounded and allowed. parents to keep AJ.
Freund and Cunningham reported the disappearance of AJ on April 18. They told the police that he was last seen at bedtime around 9 pm – April 17th. When they woke up on April 18th, they said that they could not find it and reported it.
Come back for updates.
AJ Freund, five years old, missing, is charged with murder after a boy's body was found in a shallow grave ยป
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