Found Deceased IL - Andrew Freund, 5, Crystal Lake, 17 April 2019 *Arrests* - #3

[Trudie]

I’m reposting this photos again in case someone missed these. It looks like AJ has lumps and knots all over Hs face and head plus all the bald spots with no hair. Bless this child.

Please notice in these photos AJ’s ears are in same position, unlike haircut photos. Also, his head lacks the
Distortion clearly visible in haircut photos.

 

[Trudie]

Little brother doesn't look very healthy either. He looks drugged.
HOW THE HELL DOES DCFS MISS ALL THIS?
MOO

The same way some WSers see things differently.
Both boys look uncomfortable.
Think what AJ might have looked like under his clothes.
As we know, an abuser will often inflict injury to areas commonly covered. Not these two. They wanted us all to see, I guess.

Maybe AJ didn’t die in vain, maybe he saved his brother & the new baby.
IMO, JC could not tolerate AJ crying, screaming, etc. so again I ask, after his daily beating, how did they subdue him? The shower?

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

DCFS to care for AJ Freund's younger brother; prosecutors attempt to revoke couple's parental rights
1:01pm

The Crystal Lake parents accused of killing 5-year-old AJ Freund have agreed to have the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services care for their younger son, while prosecutors attempt to revoke the former couple's parental rights.

JoAnn Cunningham and Andrew Freund Sr. sat two chairs apart Monday in a McHenry County juvenile courtroom. Both parents were charged Thursday with first-degree murderin connection with the death of their son, AJ, whom they reported missing days after allegedly forcing him into a cold shower and beating him to death, police have said.

Following AJ's disappearance, DCFS removed the boy's younger brother from the home while the agency investigates abuse and neglect allegations. Details about the 4-year-old boy's living arrangements were not disclosed in open court.

Representatives with the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office also filed a petition seeking to terminate Freund and Cunningham's parental rights. The allegations in the petition are not available to public because they pertain to a juvenile matter and were not discussed in open court.

Cunningham previously hired private attorneys at KRV Legal to represent her, but the law firm, has since withdrawn from Cunningham's cases.

Instead, public defenders will represent the parents individually throughout the juvenile proceedings. A volunteer from a third-party group, Court Appointed Special Advocates, will meet with the younger boy twice each month and eventually submit an objective report about the child's well being.

~snip


More at link:
DCFS to care for AJ Freund's younger brother; prosecutors attempt to revoke couple's parental rights | Northwest Herald

WOW. the little brother might not be better off with DCFS involvement. SMH.
The judge that has the final say better have the backbone to sever the DNA Donor's ,and take a stand for Little brother, so he doesn't become #99.
MOO.

 

[Doghairrules]

Why do they need more LE? The judges let them go.

They need better laws, a three strike you go to jail program, better judges and a lot of jails. Heck, that could help the economy, creates jobs, cleans up the community, reduced crime, kids will live longer. a win win. Reduced taxes, lower insurance rates, the list of benefits are endless, are these folks s....d????

I would not pick Chicago or anywhere in Illinois for a vacation spot, I'd be scared to death.

Except they've tried this before and all it did was saddle us with a huge mass incarceration problem and billions spent on keeping folks in prison. I don't know what the answer is, but that wasn't it.

 

[RainCheck]

Burns, bruises...how the he!! did adults allow this child to be slowly tortured to death when it’s so obvious what was happening! He never had a chance. I also heard very clearly “He’s dead.” on the 911 call.

The system is so screwed up and it’s not just one state. When my son was an infant, family friends were foster parents here in CA. They received a newborn and her 11 month old brother. The newborn was born addicted. They kept them for 18 months and I feel head over hills in love. I talked my husband into looking into adopting them both even though we had our own child just a few months older than the baby. I have a disorder that causes me to develop blot clots during pregnancy and my son was born only after I spent months hospitalized in the Perinatal Special Care Unit. We had the means and the love to give to more children but the inability for me to safely have more.

We approached our friends and inquired what we could do to try to adopt these babies. To my shock they said they were on a plan to be reunited with their mother once she could get clean enough. Sure enough a couple months later they were returned to their mother. At this point, the little one was almost two and the older one three. They weren’t back with their “mother” for two months when their bio grandmother called the police to report she’d found the babies in only filthy diapers, dehydrated and alone while their mother was passed out in bed with a needle hanging out of her arm.

The children were returned to my friends and then 8 months later returned once again to their mother. The pattern repeated and a couple months later they were returned one more time to my friends care. However, every time they were returned they were more traumatized. They both stopped talking, any progress with potty training was lost and they just seemed sad and lost. I bawled my eyes out.

The last time they were put back into my friends care, the druggie, selfish mother said it was too difficult for her to come see them at my friends house because she didn’t have a car and the bus ride was long. She petitioned the court to have them removed from the only stable home they’d ever known and moved into a new foster home closer to her. The court approved it! It was sickening!

The last day they were with my friends the little boy wouldn’t take his toys with him. He said, “I want to leave them here so I can play with them when I come back.” He didn’t understand he wouldn’t be back.

The real kicker is my friends weren’t allowed to know where the kids were going and no further contact. We have no idea what happened to those sweet babies. I have zero faith in the system after that. It’s not helping the children that’s for sure.

 

[Trudie]

WOW. the little brother might not be better off with DCFS involvement. SMH.
The judge that has the final say better have the backbone to sever the DNA Donor's ,and take a stand for Little brother, so he doesn't become #99.
MOO.

He’s with family, but the state is in charge, correct?
Wonder if the addicts grasped the finality of their situation during Juvie court, when severing parental rights was mentioned.

 

[Doghairrules]

No transcript but I've taken the section out from the original call video and looped it

ytCropper | 911 call reporting missing 5-year-old Andrew 'AJ' Freund

She definitely says something between "He's dead," and the dispatcher asking for the name. Can't tell what she's saying though.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

They evicted couple living in the basement in 2014, with police assistance. They told police they were former heroine addicts and thought the couple were using.

Eyeroll. SMH.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

Virginia does, apparently by obtaining a login
They now share with the military

Va Board of Health Professions - Programs and Services

Reading the police reports, were several calls and reports of stolen medication. It was stayed they had to call AJsr back with the report number so he could get a new prescription. The officer ask how much each pill would sell for on the street, he said $10.00 each. The officer said, that's $900.00, AJsr said, well I only pay 10.00.

WTH?

 

[Whiteorchids]

Burns, bruises...how the he!! did adults allow this child to be slowly tortured to death when it’s so obvious what was happening! He never had a chance. I also heard very clearly “He’s dead.” on the 911 call.

The system is so screwed up and it’s not just one state. When my son was an infant, family friends were foster parents here in CA. They received a newborn and her 11 month old brother. The newborn was born addicted. They kept them for 18 months and I feel head over hills in love. I talked my husband into looking into adopting them both even though we had our own child just a few months older than the baby. I have a disorder that causes me to develop blot clots during pregnancy and my son was born only after I spent months hospitalized in the Perinatal Special Care Unit. We had the means and the love to give to more children but the inability for me to safely have more.

We approached our friends and inquired what we could do to try to adopt these babies. To my shock they said they were on a plan to be reunited with their mother once she could get clean enough. Sure enough a couple months later they were returned to their mother. At this point, the little one was almost two and the older one three. They weren’t back with their “mother” for two months when their bio grandmother called the police to report she’d found the babies in only filthy diapers, dehydrated and alone while their mother was passed out in bed with a needle hanging out of her arm.

The children were returned to my friends and then 8 months later returned once again to their mother. The pattern repeated and a couple months later they were returned one more time to my friends care. However, every time they were returned they were more traumatized. They both stopped talking, any progress with potty training was lost and they just seemed sad and lost. I bawled my eyes out.

The last time they were put back into my friends care, the druggie, selfish mother said it was too difficult for her to come see them at my friends house because she didn’t have a car and the bus ride was long. She petitioned the court to have them removed from the only stable home they’d ever known and moved into a new foster home closer to her. The court approved it! It was sickening!

The last day they were with my friends the little boy wouldn’t take his toys with him. He said, “I want to leave them here so I can play with them when I come back.” He didn’t understand he wouldn’t be back.

The real kicker is my friends weren’t allowed to know where the kids were going and no further contact. We have no idea what happened to those sweet babies. I have zero faith in the system after that. It’s not helping the children that’s for sure.

When I click on the 911 call link on my iPad there are is no video time counter so I don’t know where the 2:10 marker is. What is asked when I can hear “he’s dead”

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

I am guessing one of the duo had Rx for Sub, with a dealer ready to buy it the day they picked it up. Then they could use the money for heroin which would cost a few bucks per bag. Like all addicts, the more they had, the more they used. Once they used it up, poop hit the fan. If momma ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy. Moo

Same for Dad imo.

 

[Doghairrules]

Burns, bruises...how the he!! did adults allow this child to be slowly tortured to death when it’s so obvious what was happening! He never had a chance. I also heard very clearly “He’s dead.” on the 911 call.

The system is so screwed up and it’s not just one state. When my son was an infant, family friends were foster parents here in CA. They received a newborn and her 11 month old brother. The newborn was born addicted. They kept them for 18 months and I feel head over hills in love. I talked my husband into looking into adopting them both even though we had our own child just a few months older than the baby. I have a disorder that causes me to develop blot clots during pregnancy and my son was born only after I spent months hospitalized in the Perinatal Special Care Unit. We had the means and the love to give to more children but the inability for me to safely have more.

We approached our friends and inquired what we could do to try to adopt these babies. To my shock they said they were on a plan to be reunited with their mother once she could get clean enough. Sure enough a couple months later they were returned to their mother. At this point, the little one was almost two and the older one three. They weren’t back with their “mother” for two months when their bio grandmother called the police to report she’d found the babies in only filthy diapers, dehydrated and alone while their mother was passed out in bed with a needle hanging out of her arm.

The children were returned to my friends and then 8 months later returned once again to their mother. The pattern repeated and a couple months later they were returned one more time to my friends care. However, every time they were returned they were more traumatized. They both stopped talking, any progress with potty training was lost and they just seemed sad and lost. I bawled my eyes out.

The last time they were put back into my friends care, the druggie, selfish mother said it was too difficult for her to come see them at my friends house because she didn’t have a car and the bus ride was long. She petitioned the court to have them removed from the only stable home they’d ever known and moved into a new foster home closer to her. The court approved it! It was sickening!

The last day they were with my friends the little boy wouldn’t take his toys with him. He said, “I want to leave them here so I can play with them when I come back.” He didn’t understand he wouldn’t be back.

The real kicker is my friends weren’t allowed to know where the kids were going and no further contact. We have no idea what happened to those sweet babies. I have zero faith in the system after that. It’s not helping the children that’s for sure.

This is sickening. And this is where I think we need to most reform. The overriding question/concern/issue in every single case like this should be "What is the best thing for the child," and take things like traumatic upheaval from loving, stable homes into account. As far as I'm concerned, parents don't have an automatic right to their children -- meaning when there is doubt or suspicion about any harm at all coming to the chid, the parents' rights become secondary.

 

[RainCheck]

When I click on the 911 call link on my iPad there are is no video time counter so I don’t know where the 2:10 marker is. What is asked when I can hear “he’s dead”

Sr. is telling 911 he looked all over the house for him and baby brother says outloud “He’s dead.” Then he is hushed and talked over by his parents.

 

[Trudie]

@rain check what a touching post. Very similar to AJ’s life. It is so cruel to move kids once they bond with foster parents or family members stepping in.
What pusses me off is AJsr/JC & Tat Man could have went on living in any manner they chose, if they wanted to roll around in dog crap, chase ea other with weapons, dress up as soldiers, push each other down stairs, shoot heroin....fine, it’s all good, just give the kids away. Because the end result is they won’t ever enjoy the same recreation they partook in.
I doubt we’ll ever know the full extent of what went on in the ‘hell hole on Dole’, I hope P is young enough to forget, over time. I think he witnessed most of AJ’s beatings, he surely heard him screaming. Now, he must relive certain things in his mind. I think he’s young enough & probably resilient & will hopefully forget AJ/JC.
Both parents must have hated AJ, if not the non hater could have fled the scene with him.

 

[PirateMomma]

I love this man! He’s saying (more eloquently) what I ranted about in my post above. It’s time to reject the constant excuse of underfunding.

Rest In Peace AJ

It was an epiphany when we explained that if someone was causing physical harm to an adult, you don't call family services, you call the police!

 

[Trudie]

Sr. is telling 911 he looked all over the house for him and baby brother says outloud “He’s dead.” Then he is hushed and talked over by his parents.

Surprisingly he didn’t end up with a concussion. Oh. They were expecting LE over their lost child, best to not batter the other.

 

[RainCheck]

This is sickening. And this is where I think we need to most reform. The overriding question/concern/issue in every single case like this should be "What is the best thing for the child," and take things like traumatic upheaval from loving, stable homes into account. As far as I'm concerned, parents don't have an automatic right to their children -- meaning when there is doubt or suspicion about any harm at all coming to the chid, the parents' rights become secondary.

The staunch and unwavering focus on family reunification is killing children and those who don’t die end up much more likely to become addicts themselves and/or commit suicide. It’s not working! No child should experience so much instability and neglect. I understand the intent of the programs but when is it enough already? Apparently only if they kill one of their children.

 

[Trudie]

The real kicker is my friends weren’t allowed to know where the kids were going and no further contact. We have no idea what happened to those sweet babies. I have zero faith in the system after that. It’s not helping the children that’s for sure.

One day your friends may get a visit from one of the kids. I know someone that was a LT foster, considered the brother /sis family, etc. they had no notice the kids were being moved, it suddenly happened. Many years later they got a letter from some little town in MI, it was a wedding invitation from the boy. Yes, they went & to this day they stay in contact.

The DCFS offices in IL need to be wallpapered with AJ’s photos. As a reminder.

 

[Doghairrules]

Here’s an eye opening perspective:
Child safety advocate responds to AJ Freund case
Child safety advocate responds to AJ Freund case

Here are stats from his organization's website, which he mentions in the report:

According to the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, 3,000,000 new reports of child abuse or neglect are made every year, one report every ten seconds. On average, Children’s Protective Services, or “CPS,” confirms 1,000,000 of these cases; however, records show that 72% of all children who were confirmed as abused or neglected did not receive any follow-up assistance from CPS. Of those cases reported, an estimated 1,300 children die each year of abuse or neglect – most at their parent’s hands. 90% of those children were age five or younger. Almost half of these victims had a case with CPS. Many children who survive abuse are returned to dangerous homes only to be repeatedly victimized and cycle through the system.

 

[RainCheck]

One day your friends may get a visit from one of the kids. I know someone that was a LT foster, considered the brother /sis family, etc. they had no notice the kids were being moved, it suddenly happened. Many years later they got a letter from some little town in MI, it was a wedding invitation from the boy. Yes, they went & to this day they stay in contact.

The DCFS offices in IL need to be wallpapered with AJ’s photos. As a reminder.

Oh I hope so! I know we would all love to know how life turns out for them. We can only hope they’ll be okay. Statistics aren’t in their favor but I hope they end up happy. They deserve so much more than they got. I hope somewhere deep down they remember the love they did receive.