There are a lot of questions surrounding the murder of 5-year-old boy Andrew “AJ” Freund Jr. In particular, people are wondering what authorities did and didn’t do about alleged serial abuse at his home. Cops in Crystal Lake, Illinois responded his family’s home 17 times over five years for abuse and drug allegations, according to an ABC 7 Chicago report published early Friday. A report from CBS Chicago said police were called to the home “at least 10 times” in the past five years.
One police report from December 2018 stemmed from an allegation that someone stole medication and a phone from the home, according to The Chicago Tribune. The responding officer, however, noted there was dog feces and urine on the floor all over the house. Some of the windows were broken or open, the flooring was broken, and AJ’s room with his younger brother smelled like feces, cops said. She noted a “suspicious” bruise on the boy’s hip. According to the cop, AJ and his mother JoAnn Cunningham said this might have been caused by a family dog.
The officer told her sergeant that she was worried about children, and moved them to a police station. Nonetheless, an investigation by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) determined abuse allegations were unsubstantiated.
Cunningham and the boy’s father Andrew “AJ” Freund Sr. forced him to stand in a cold shower, and beat him to death, police said this week. Charges include murder, aggravated battery, and concealing a death. 911 audio released by cops show the father claiming that he last saw his son the previous night, and that they couldn’t find him, no matter where they looked. Cops said they found young AJ’s body in a shallow grave in Woodstock, Illinois. Bond for the parents was set at $5 million, though they only have to pay $500,000. They are scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
Next door neighbor Janelle Butler told ABC 7 Chicago that she and others called cops when they believed AJ and his little brother were unsafe.
AJ’s family has been on DCFS’ radar ever since he was born with opiates in his system.
DCFS has released their timeline of their interactions with the Freund family.
[Image via Crystal Lake Police Services]