Months after confiding in a doctor about the abuse he endured, five-year-old Andrew AJ Freund tragically lost his life. His parents have now been charged with his murder. Upon receiving an anonymous tip last December, authorities visited Andrew’s home to investigate. They discovered a large bruise on his hip and questioned him about its origin. Initially, Andrew claimed it was caused by the family dog. However, the doctor was skeptical and probed further, eliciting a shocking revelation.
In the emergency room, Andrew disclosed to the doctor, “Maybe someone hit me with a belt. Maybe Mommy didn’t mean to hurt me.” The doctor promptly reported this disturbing information to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Although the true cause of the bruise remained unknown, the doctor mentioned that it could have been inflicted by a dog, belt, or even during a football game in the report. Regrettably, with insufficient evidence, the case was ultimately closed.
Four months later, tragedy struck when Andrew was found dead. His lifeless body was discovered buried in a shallow grave, wrapped in plastic. His parents, Andrew Freund Sr., 60, and JoAnn Cunningham, 36, have since been charged with their five-year-old son’s murder. An autopsy revealed that Andrew had succumbed to head trauma resulting from a blunt force injury.
The DCFS had a substantial record of interactions with Andrew and his family. They recently released these records, demonstrating their extensive involvement with Cunningham and Freund Sr. between June 2015 and March 2016. During this time, DCFS agents conducted 17 unannounced visits to monitor the well-being of the child. Unfortunately, no signs of abuse or neglect were observed.
However, just last week, DCFS received another hotline call from an unidentified source reporting neglect concerning Andrew. Coincidentally, on the same day, his parents reported him missing. Following a thorough investigation, the parents reluctantly divulged the location of their son’s shallow grave in Woodstock, approximately 10 miles from their residence in Crystal Lake.
Prior to Andrew’s birth, DCFS had already been alerted about Cunningham’s alleged drug abuse and neglect of her foster child in 2012. Unfortunately, these concerning incidents preceded Andrew’s arrival into an environment marred by neglect and harm, impacting Cunningham’s eldest son.
Upon Andrew’s birth, both he and Cunningham tested positive for opiates and benzodiazepines. Consequently, he was taken out of her care for eight months before being eventually reunited with his biological parents.
Considering the gravity of this heartbreaking case, what do you believe would be an appropriate punishment for Andrew’s parents, who are now facing charges for his murder?
