Parents charged with murder of Crystal Lake 5-year-old AJ Freund
By Sun-Times Staff
chicago.suntimes.com
The parents of a missing 5-year-old boy from Crystal Lake have been charged with his murder, according to police.
Crystal Lake Police Chief James Black said at a press conference Wednesday that the parents of Andrew “AJ” Freund have each been charged with murder in the boy’s death.
Andrew’s body was found “buried in a shallow grave wrapped in plastic in a rural area of Woodstock,” Black said. The site, where dozens of law enforcement vehicles converged early Wednesday, is located about seven miles northwest of the boy’s home.
Both the boy’s mother, JoAnn Cunningham, and his father, Andrew Freund Sr., have been charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder, Black said. Cunningham has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder, four counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated domestic battery and one count of failure to report a missing or child death.
Freund Sr. has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery, one count of aggravated domestic battery, two counts of concealment of a homicidal death and one count of failure to report a missing child or child death.
During interviews with both parents overnight conducted by Crystal Lake police and the FBI, Freund Sr. “provided information that ultimately led to what we believe is the recovery of the deceased subject, A.J.,” Black said.
The cause of death is unknown at this time, and the investigation is ongoing, Black said.
THE FREUND INVESTIGATION: • Missing boy, 5, lived in Crystal Lake home full of dog feces, records show
• Family of missing Crystal Lake boy has lengthy history with DCFS: officials
• FBI searching for missing 5-year-old from Crystal Lake |
