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U.S. NEWS Thursday 25 april 2019
Illinois boy found buried in shallow

grave; parents charged

In this April 24, 2019 is a booking photo provided by the Crystal In this April 24, 2019 booking photo provided by the Crystal Lake
Lake Police Department of Andrew Freund Sr, who along with Police Department of Joann Cunningham who along with her
his wife Joann Cunningham, have been charged with murder husband Andrew Freund Sr. have been charged with murder
and other charges in the death of their missing son Andrew “AJ” and other charges in the death of their missing son Andrew “AJ”
Freund. Freund.
Associated Press Associated Press
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (AP) — missing last Thursday, tell- week. Black said the cause and to be fully transpar-
Authorities searching for ing officers they had last of AJ’s death remains un- ent with the public on any
a missing 5-year-old Illinois seen him at bedtime the der investigation. Police steps we are taking to ad-
boy who had lived in de- previous night. Freund told removed several items dress the issues,” Smith said
plorable conditions dug up a dispatcher that they’d from the home, including in a written statement.
his body Wednesday and checked “closets, the a shovel, mattress, paper Gov. J.B. Pritzker in March
charged his parents with basement, the garage, ev- bags and a plastic storage ordered an independent
murder, sadly declaring erywhere,” but investiga- tub. review of DCFS after the
that the youngster would tors quickly knocked down “We know you are at deaths of a 2-year-old girl
“no longer have to suffer.” the possibility of a kidnap- peace playing in heaven’s in Decatur and a 2-year-
The body, believed to ping. playground and are happy old boy in Chicago. Child
be that of Andrew “AJ” Speaking to reporters, you no longer have to suf- welfare workers had con-
Freund, was covered in Black had a message for fer,” the police chief said in tacts with both families.
plastic and buried in a shal- AJ’s relatives: “It is my hope a public message intended State Sen. Julie Morrison, a
low grave in a rural area that you may have some for the boy. Deerfield Democrat, imme-
of Woodstock in McHenry solace in knowing that AJ is DCFS acting director Marc diately called for “an inde-
County, Crystal Lake police no longer suffering and his Smith said AJ’s death was pendent, comprehensive
Chief James Black said. killers have been brought “heartbreaking.” audit of the DCFS hotline.”
Black said investigators to justice.” “The department is com- “As with many other
went to the site after they Crystal Lake police had mitted to conducting a deaths, it seems the system
interviewed the boy’s visited the house over comprehensive review of designed to protect Illinois’
parents overnight and the years, according to the entirety of our work children did not work in AJ
presented them with cell- records released by the with Andrew’s family to un- Freund’s case,” Morrison
phone evidence. Wood- department. One report derstand our shortcomings said in a statement.q
stock is about 50 miles (80 described the home as lit-
kilometers) northwest of tered with dog feces and
Chicago and a few miles urine, including a child’s
from the family’s home in bedroom where the “smell
Crystal Lake. of feces was overwhelm-
“This is not the outcome ing.” Another report said
that we want to talk about the house was “cluttered,
... but it is the unfortunate dirty and in disrepair,” and
result,” said Jeffrey Sallet, sometimes without electric-
who runs the FBI in northern ity.
Illinois. The Illinois Department of
The parents, Andrew Children and Family Ser-
Freund Sr. and JoAnn vices, known as DCFS, had
Cunningham, each face contact with the family
charges of first-degree since AJ was born with opi-
murder and other crimes. ates in his body in 2013.
An email seeking comment The Northwest Herald said
was sent to Cunningham’s he was in foster care for
lawyer. It wasn’t immedi- two years before being
ately known if Freund has a returned to his parents. A
lawyer. younger brother was re-
The couple reported AJ moved from the home last