The Crystal Lake home of AJ Freund, who police say was killed by his parents, is scheduled to be demolished on Friday and a sentencing hearing has been set for April for JoAnn Cunningham.
The Daily Herald reports that demolition of the home, located at 94 Dole Avenue in Crystal Lake, could take two days to complete, according to David Pardys, an attorney who represents the City of Crystal Lake.
Green Demolition Contractors Inc. are conducting the demolition. They offered their services to the city for free and the Crystal Lake City Council approved the agreement in January following a formal bidding process.
The home, which has since been foreclosed on, was owned by Andrew Freund Sr. and JoAnn Cunningham before a judge found them in default on the house.
Three days after AJ Freund’s death, Freund Sr. reported the 5-year-old missing on April 18. During a 911 call, Freund Sr. calmly told an emergency dispatcher that he last saw his son when he put him to bed around 9:30 p.m. April 17 at the family home on Dole Avenue in Crystal Lake.
Freund Sr. and Cunningham were both charged with AJ’s murder on April 24 after an almost week-long search for the child. Police found the young boy’s body buried in a shallow grave in a field near Woodstock.
On December 5, Cunningham pleaded guilty to first-degree murder after initially pleading not guilty. She faces between 20 and 60 years in prison.
Cunningham appeared in court on Thursday and McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt set a sentencing hearing for April 30 at 9 a.m. in McHenry County courtroom 204.
Freund Sr. pleaded not guilty on May 10 and waived his right to a jury, opting for a bench trial, during a Thursday court hearing. He is scheduled to appear in court again on April 24.