Just months after Andrew AJ Freund bravely confided in a doctor, revealing the horrific treatment he was enduring at the hands of his own mother, his life was tragically cut short. Today, his parents face charges of murder.
In December, an anonymous tip led the police to visit Andrew’s residence and check on his well-being. During the visit, they discovered a large bruise on his hip, which the five-year-old claimed was caused by the family dog. However, the doctor who examined him was skeptical. While in the emergency room, the doctor gently probed for more information, trying to determine if there was a more sinister explanation for the injury. To everyone’s shock, Andrew shared a different and chilling story.
“Maybe someone hit me with a belt,” he whispered to the doctor. “Maybe Mommy didn’t mean to hurt me.”
The doctor promptly reported this heartbreaking revelation to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Although Andrew offered varying explanations for the bruise, the doctor could not definitively ascertain its true cause. In their report, the doctor noted that the injury could have resulted from “a dog, belt, or football.” Regrettably, due to insufficient evidence, the case was closed a month later.
Four months later, Andrew was found dead. His lifeless body had been callously wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave. His parents, Andrew Freund Sr., aged 60, and JoAnn Cunningham, aged 36, have since been accused of their own son’s murder. A pathologist’s examination revealed that the cause of death was head trauma resulting from a blunt force injury.
The DCFS had previously interacted extensively with Andrew and his family, maintaining a comprehensive file on them. Recently, they released records documenting their numerous visits and interactions with Cunningham and Freund Sr. Between June 2015 and March 2016, DCFS agents conducted 17 unannounced visits to check on Andrew’s welfare. During these visits, no evidence of abuse or concerning behavior was observed.
However, last week, DCFS received another hotline call from an anonymous source, alleging neglect in Andrew’s case. Remarkably, this call coincided with the day Andrew’s parents reported him missing. Following a thorough investigation, the police relentlessly pursued information from the parents, who eventually led them to Andrew’s shallow grave in Woodstock, approximately 10 miles away from their home in Crystal Lake.
It’s worth noting that DCFS had previously intervened with Cunningham in 2012 due to allegations of prescription drug abuse and neglect of her foster child. These incidents occurred before Andrew was even born. He was born into a troubled home, one that had a history of “environmental neglect and injurious environment” regarding Cunningham’s eldest son.
When Andrew was born, both he and Cunningham tested positive for substances like opiates and benzodiazepines. As a result, he was temporarily removed from her care for a period of eight months before being reunited with his birth parents.
Now the question remains: what kind of punishment should Andrew’s parents face for the murder of their own child?
