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It's heartbreaking': Mourners line up to pay respects to Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund
Hundreds attend visitation for 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy
Hundreds of people lined the sidewalk and wound through Davenport Family Funeral Home Friday as a public visitation was held for 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund.
Many mourners dressed in blue, or wore blue pins and ribbons, in honor of the boy. Blue ribbons were wrapped around trees along Route 176/Terra Cotta Avenue and in nearby neighborhoods. Memorial signs bearing AJ’s face were placed around the area.
People of all ages came to pay respects, many crying as they walked away from the funeral home. Visitors expressed shock, hurt and sadness over the situation.
Johnsburg resident and mother of three Jodi Hensley attended the visitation to pay respects to the child whose story she has been following since day one, when his parents, who are now charged with his death, reported him missing, she said.
"I feel like [the story] is part of me, as a mother," Hensley said.
She described her experience at the visitation as "horrible" and said the questions surrounding the boy's short life haunt her.
"How can you do that to your child?" Hensley said. "I have been wondering this whole time what kind of stuff he had been through. Did he ever feel real love?"
Visitors remained steady throughout the day and early evening at the funeral home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave./Route 176.
AJ died April 15. His obituary described himas a loving, affectionate and outgoing little boy, whose smile could light up a room.
A Crystal Lake police officer stood watch over the small casket as mourners walked through the building. Some stopped to sign visitor books or pet the Golden retriever support dogs that were present throughout the procession. Others dropped off balloons, cards, flowers and small toys.
Johnsburg resident James Stapleton said he wanted to show AJ the love he had missed out while he was alive.
"If he is looking down, I don't want him to think everyone is like his parents," Stapleton said. "They are monsters."
He added that his youngest daughter died in October, and he has grandchildren that are the same age as AJ was, which made the situation even more difficult to emotionally handle.
~snip
More at link:
'It's heartbreaking': Mourners line up to pay respects to Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund | Northwest Herald
Hundreds attend visitation for 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy
Hundreds of people lined the sidewalk and wound through Davenport Family Funeral Home Friday as a public visitation was held for 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund.
Many mourners dressed in blue, or wore blue pins and ribbons, in honor of the boy. Blue ribbons were wrapped around trees along Route 176/Terra Cotta Avenue and in nearby neighborhoods. Memorial signs bearing AJ’s face were placed around the area.
People of all ages came to pay respects, many crying as they walked away from the funeral home. Visitors expressed shock, hurt and sadness over the situation.
Johnsburg resident and mother of three Jodi Hensley attended the visitation to pay respects to the child whose story she has been following since day one, when his parents, who are now charged with his death, reported him missing, she said.
"I feel like [the story] is part of me, as a mother," Hensley said.
She described her experience at the visitation as "horrible" and said the questions surrounding the boy's short life haunt her.
"How can you do that to your child?" Hensley said. "I have been wondering this whole time what kind of stuff he had been through. Did he ever feel real love?"
Visitors remained steady throughout the day and early evening at the funeral home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave./Route 176.
AJ died April 15. His obituary described himas a loving, affectionate and outgoing little boy, whose smile could light up a room.
A Crystal Lake police officer stood watch over the small casket as mourners walked through the building. Some stopped to sign visitor books or pet the Golden retriever support dogs that were present throughout the procession. Others dropped off balloons, cards, flowers and small toys.
Johnsburg resident James Stapleton said he wanted to show AJ the love he had missed out while he was alive.
"If he is looking down, I don't want him to think everyone is like his parents," Stapleton said. "They are monsters."
He added that his youngest daughter died in October, and he has grandchildren that are the same age as AJ was, which made the situation even more difficult to emotionally handle.
~snip
More at link:
'It's heartbreaking': Mourners line up to pay respects to Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund | Northwest Herald
