Funeral arrangements of AJ announced
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DCFS reassigned two workers after the release of the timeline.
A boy named Andrew AJ Freund, who was only five years old, found dead.
The residents of Crystal Lake are demanding an explanation from the Illinois Department of Children and Family. People are asking about the agency’s services and interaction with AJ Freund family before his death.
In 2012, the agency did the first contact with this family which consist of two invalid cases.
DCFS acting director, Marc Smith said about this incident that “the death of a child who was in our agency’s custody and his family that we were involved with is inadmissible for me and this department.”
AJ’s mother Joann Cunningham had her first interaction with this agency in 2012 before the birth of his son AJ Freund. She had the assertion of drug use and a foster child that is her older son. Unfortunately, the allegation remained unjustified.
In 2013, AJ was born and doctors found opiates in his system. The agency called upon his mother Cunningham and took AJ Freund in their custody. His parents Cunningham and Andrew Freund took part in a drug treatment program and classes related to parenting. Then, DCFS gave back AJ Freund to his parents.
In 2015 and 2016, the agency DCFS planned seventeen causal and nine organized visits to AJ’s home.
A doctor who used to examine the boy told that he had odd bruising on his face. In last December, a police officer also saw a large bruise on AJ’s hip but AJ told his doctor in the emergency room that it is just a belt mark, nothing else.
AJ was in his parent’s custody until his death.
His parents Andrew Freund and Cunningham were fined on $5 million bonds because they were accused of murdering their own son.
Hundred people came to give tribute to the innocent young boy AJ.
From 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the public is invited to honor AJ.
His funeral ceremony will be held at Davenport Family Funeral Home at 419 East Terra Cotta Avenue in Crystal Lake.
