IL IL - Andrew Freund, 5, Crystal Lake, 17 April 2019

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Just curios what you think happened? A couple of you keep mentioning addictions. I agree it more than likely played a role. My mind would go to addictions if A: child died from car accident and tox screen showed drugs/alcohol of driver B: child found dead and tox screen showed child died from OD of substance. We don't even know where Andrew is? Police confirm that he did not walk out, or do they believe he was abducted. Police are calling home a crime scene. So again, did the addiction play a role. Very possibly. But what exactly? Hopefully not coming across argumentative..just trying to track with you...
If I had a child, I could never go for a night out and drink like crazy and then go back home to my child. I would be too scared of blacking out for hours, something could easily happen to a kid when the adults in the home are awake and somewhat alert, let alone when a parent is blacked out after a crazy night. That's why I don't understand how these parents who have these addictions can live with that, knowing that they can black out and their kids can just fall, hit their heads, open the door to a stranger, God knows what.
 
All just speculation..You know how it’s said that there is truth in lies. When the Dad said: “Just come home Andrew, you’re not in any trouble.” I’m thinking these are words he may have actually said to him. Something like: “Just come here Andrew, you’re not in any trouble.” Right before he wailed on him, maybe killing him. Also, have you noticed Mom never looks into the camera. She always looks down or hides her face in attorney. Just my theory: I think Dad killed him (possibly accidentally)and Mom knows.

Maybe ... but I'm leaning the other way. I think Mom did something to AJ and Dad suspects something.

Beyond making faces, noises, and squeezing her eyes to try to make tears roll out. You're right, she can't make eye contact with anyone. There is a reason for that ...
I'm not judging, merely making an observation; It's been a while since I have seen two bio parents who are as detached as these two are.
 
Mom's Lawyer said:
...But I think the house has gone through a search. And the house is in pretty rough shape and everything inside it and quite frankly, it's depressing to Miss Cunningham and she doesn't want to stay inside it; so for the next 48 hours at least, she's going to be staying with a friend.
Mother Of Missing 5-Year-Old Hires Criminal Defense Attorney

Mom's staying elsewhere, dad remains at the house. Interesting indeed.

What is with the 48 hour (at least) timeframe? Did something domestic come about during interviews with one or both of the parents and police ordered or advised a 48 hour separation? Did mom's lawyer suggest this? Interesting wording about the reason why. Just the video clips of the open garage suggests the house and everything inside it was likely "in pretty rough shape" prior to the search of the house. I'd think the fact that POLICE CLAIMING IT IS A CRIME SCENE would make continuing to stay there far more "depressing" to the mother than the state of the house after a search. But her lawyer (conveniently) made no mention of that being a reason.

Anyone else getting the feeling that there is not a united front or that one or both parents know there won't be soon?

According to police:

-The house is a crime scene.

-There is no evidence to support an abduction.

-Andrew's scent was only found inside the house.

-They do not believe the public is in danger.

So, apart from there being a guest(s) visiting that night or staying at the house with the family that we are not aware of, I can only think of 2 other possibilities.
 
Attorney Elizabeth Vonau, who is also representing Cunningham along with Ridings, said Cunningham has cooperated with police despite their statements otherwise. Cunningham was interviewed by police Thursday and “willingly submitted” to a complete body search Saturday, she said.

"She is willing to do whatever she needs to do to find AJ," Vonau said.

Vonau also questioned why DCFS officials released information to the media related to interactions with the family, a move she called “a violation of DCFS own policy.”
Mother of missing Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund describes son as ‘super sharp and smart’ and a ‘good big brother’ who loves to draw

BBM- Many of us commented how unusual it was to see DCFS revealing those details.
 
Right! They will jump small over that for a pay day! Clearly the police know way more than what is being let on because there is no way this many days would pass and they wouldn’t be doing major ground searches looking for the child. They must have some knowledge we aren’t privy to and they’re just waiting and hoping the parents slip up enough or turn against one another or they find some quality evidence. It’s only a matter of time before something comes up! Justice for little AJ
 
Mother Of Missing 5-Year-Old Hires Criminal Defense Attorney

Mom's staying elsewhere, dad remains at the house. Interesting indeed.

What is with the 48 hour (at least) timeframe? Did something domestic come about during interviews with one or both of the parents and police ordered or advised a 48 hour separation? Did mom's lawyer suggest this? Interesting wording about the reason why. Just the video clips of the open garage suggests the house and everything inside it was likely "in pretty rough shape" prior to the search of the house. I'd think the fact that POLICE CLAIMING IT IS A CRIME SCENE would make continuing to stay there far more "depressing" to the mother than the state of the house after a search. But her lawyer (conveniently) made no mention of that being a reason.

Anyone else getting the feeling that there is not a united front or that one or both parents know there won't be soon?

According to police:

-The house is a crime scene.

-There is no evidence to support an abduction.

-Andrew's scent was only found inside the house.

-They do not believe the public is in danger.

So, apart from there being a guest(s) visiting that night or staying at the house with the family that we are not aware of, I can only think of 2 other possibilities.

Yes, spot on with this. I am only reiterating what we've all said before. LE likely knows or has a strong idea of what happened here. I have a lot of faith in this LE presence because the police force immediately called in the FBI and I believe I read somewhere that some of these FBI Agents specialized in child cases (not sure where I read that, will try to find the article).

These are the big guns here and they were on it very quickly, so little time from the initial report to having a massive police presence. LE is revealing quite a bit in their "read between the lines" rhetoric than in most cases that I can even remember with a child missing. The mother got an attorney because she felt like she was a suspect--from her own attorney's mouth--which tells you where LE is directing their path and questioning behind the scenes. They are just waiting for one of them to break. The "we only want to help you," to the father suggests, IMO, that they think he may be covering for the mother or that he knows what happens and that may not believe he was the guilty party initially, but is withholding information.
 
Right! They will jump small over that for a pay day! Clearly the police know way more than what is being let on because there is no way this many days would pass and they wouldn’t be doing major ground searches looking for the child. They must have some knowledge we aren’t privy to and they’re just waiting and hoping the parents slip up enough or turn against one another or they find some quality evidence. It’s only a matter of time before something comes up! Justice for little AJ

They may be quietly searching targeted areas where a cell phone pinged, eyewitness account, or video from cameras are leading them. Wonder if we will learn anything new at the press conference in the morning?
 
I realize that at this point, everything is just speculation and theories. Is there any one who believes that Andrew is alive? Or, is there anyone that believes that Andrew was murdered by any one other than his parents? Do you lean towards one or the other? I stated before, JMO speculation only that I believe the Dad killed him, and Mom knows.

I was trying to be objective in this thread earlier and got jumped on. I live here. It's hard for me not to be objective. I don't want the worst to have happened here. I want to be open to other possibilities but due to history of drug abuse and dcfs involvement, no one seems to want to even go there. I understand but come on! This is websleuths.
 
All just speculation..You know how it’s said that there is truth in lies. When the Dad said: “Just come home Andrew, you’re not in any trouble.” I’m thinking these are words he may have actually said to him. Something like: “Just come here Andrew, you’re not in any trouble.” Right before he wailed on him, maybe killing him. Also, have you noticed Mom never looks into the camera. She always looks down or hides her face in attorney. Just my theory: I think Dad killed him (possibly accidentally)and Mom knows.

I was in a really abusive relationship once in my 20’s in all the ways a human can be abusive to another. I lied to a cop for him one time. It was nothing as serious but still serious and something i could have gotten in huge trouble for. Thinking back I respected the justice system just as much then as I do now. I was a true crime buff then too and understood the repercussions, but I was more afraid of him than any jail. That’s what i see on her face. All my unsubstantiated opinion.
 
I was in a really abusive relationship once in my 20’s in all the ways a human can be abusive to another. I lied to a cop for him one time. It was nothing as serious but still serious and something i could have gotten in huge trouble for. Thinking back I respected the justice system just as much then as I do now. I was a true crime buff then too and understood the repercussions, but I was more afraid of him than any jail. That’s what i see on her face. All my unsubstantiated opinion.
It doesn't seem like the mom had much for support and depended solely on him. Maybe he took advantage of that. She had an addiction which rendered her neglectful and helpless.
 
It doesn't seem like the mom had much for support and depended solely on him. Maybe he took advantage of that. She had an addiction which rendered her neglectful and helpless.

Is she originally from the states? I know he hooked her after he was her divorce attorney in her 1st marriage that did not include children. Unsure of the rest of her story.
 
Is she originally from the states? I know he hooked her after he was her divorce attorney in her 1st marriage that did not include children. Unsure of the rest of her story.
I believe she has an older son from a previous relationship that may or may not be from her first marriage. He appears in photos on her social media. There are also some case files for custody and visitation that date back to January 2013 in the public records.
 
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I was trying to be objective in this thread earlier and got jumped on. I live here. It's hard for me not to be objective. I don't want the worst to have happened here. I want to be open to other possibilities but due to history of drug abuse and dcfs involvement, no one seems to want to even go there. I understand but come on! This is websleuths.
Read Lucas Hernandez threads....34 and counting.
 
I believe she has an older son from a previous relationship that may or may not be from her first marriage. He appears in photos on her social media. There are also some case files for custody and visitation that date back to January 2013 in the public records.

No kids from the first marriage. Must be a prior relationship.

Andrew was listed as an interested party in the divorce as well as being her attorney. Not sure if she knew him before he was her attorney or not.
 
If you search JC's name at the link below, you'll see a foreclosure case. On 4/17/19, it looks like a summary judgement to sell the house was ordered. Also an open case with animal control for an ordinance violation, whatever the heck that means. Can't even take proper care of an animal ...

Public Case Access - McHenry County

It's interesting that 4/17 was the night the little guy disappeared. I wonder if the order to sell the house had anything to do with his disappearance. Parent's were upset that evening?
 
In reading the details of the case and the DCFS reports, there has been drug usage by, at least, the mother. The purchase of illegal narcotics, and I am not saying this is the case here because we simply don't know, typically involves characters that are not upstanding citizens or may have criminal or shady backgrounds (i.e. the sellers). If there were purchases of illegal narcotics that occur in or near the home, that may make the home a target, perhaps especially the innocent children involved.

I have also seen situations where drug usage occurs in a home setting that involves multiple people, often non-residents (people that come to join in the drug usage, sell, purchase that may not necessarily be that well known to the people in the house, sharing only the common bond that there is an addiction to the substance--it can be a revolving door). With the house looking like it may be somewhat insecure, I wonder if there isn't a possibility that a nefarious character that may have traveled in this drug circle would have seen the children and would have known access points to reach the child. For example, where I have live/lived, neighbors often can pinpoint the "drug houses," because there are usually people hanging out there at random hours of the day that are unfamiliar to neighbors, coming and going.

One theory may be that a predator gained access to the house through drug usage with designs on the children, and that predator would have been able to know the layout of the house or be able to incapacitate the parent(s) with narcotics. This may describe why the child is missing and does not, for what we know, appear to be in the home. If this occurred, the mother or father may not have even realized the child was taken until the next morning when coming out of their binge. In this case, I wonder if police are looking into known associates of the mother; neighborhood doorbell cameras and security cameras on the street would be a great way to identify all the vehicles that may have driven to the house or stopped within a distance of the house. I hope and assume police are on this and have requested this from neighbors.

This is just a theory and my speculation, but may fill some holes.

Except law enforcement has ruled out abduction.
 
Maybe ... but I'm leaning the other way. I think Mom did something to AJ and Dad suspects something.

Beyond making faces, noises, and squeezing her eyes to try to make tears roll out. You're right, she can't make eye contact with anyone. There is a reason for that ...
I'm not judging, merely making an observation; It's been a while since I have seen two bio parents who are as detached as these two are.
This is squarely where I am. I'd bet just about anyone Mom is responsible but Dad has a hunch.
 
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