The Crystal Lake mother serving a 35-year prison sentence for killing her son, AJ Freund, had her post-conviction petition denied on Wednesday by a judge, who said she had no merit in her petition. JoAnn Cunningham, 39, formerly of Crystal Lake, filed a post-conviction petition in McHenry County Circuit Court in late March. Cunningham filed […]
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Mother of AJ Freund files post-conviction petition, says she had been ‘seeing demons’ at time of her son’s killing
The Crystal Lake mother serving a 35-year prison sentence for killing her son, AJ Freund, has filed a post-conviction petition, saying that she had been seeing demons and believed she and her son were possessed. JoAnn Cunningham, 39, formerly of Crystal Lake, filed a post-conviction petition in McHenry County Circuit Court earlier this week. Cunningham […]
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‘What AJ suffered was a corner of hell’: state’s attorney discusses plea deal given to father of AJ Freund
McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally said what AJ Freund suffered leading up to his murder “was a corner of hell” as he discussed the plea deal accepted by the boy’s father on Friday. Kenneally held a press conference Friday evening following the guilty plea of Andrew Freund Sr., who was sentenced to 30 years […]
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Father of AJ Freund pleads guilty, sentenced to 30 years in prison in son’s death
Andrew Freund Sr. has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the murder of his 5-year-old son after accepting a plea deal to lesser charges on Friday. Freund pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a child, a Class X felony, involuntary manslaughter, a Class 3 felony, and concealing a homicidal death, […]
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Andrew Freund Sr. expected to accept plea deal on Friday in murder of his son
Andrew Freund Sr., who was charged with killing his 5-year-old son AJ Freund, is expected to formally accept a plea deal on Friday. Freund, 60, appeared briefly Wednesday morning in a McHenry County courtroom for a trial date status hearing. Freund’s attorney, Special Public Defender Henry Sugden, told McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt that they […]
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Charges filed against 2 DCFS workers who handled AJ Freund case
Two DCFS caseworkers that investigated abuse of AJ Freund, who was murdered in 2019, were arrested on Thursday and are facing felony charges. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday evening that arrest warrants had been served on Carlos J. Acosta, 54, of Woodstock, and Andrew R. Polovin, 48, of Island Lake. Acosta and Polovin […]
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Plea deal expected for father of AJ Freund in murder case, likely will not go to trial
The case against Andrew Freund Sr., the father of slain Crystal Lake boy AJ Freund, might not go to trial as prosecutors and his attorney are expected to reach a plea deal by September 16. Andrew T. Freund Sr. appeared briefly Friday morning in a McHenry County courtroom for a trial date status hearing. Freund’s […]
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JoAnn Cunningham transferred to downstate prison to serve her 35-year sentence
JoAnn Cunningham has been sent to a downstate Illinois prison to serve her 35-year sentence for the murder of her 5-year-old Crystal Lake son, AJ Freund. Cunningham, 37, formerly of Crystal Lake, was transferred to Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln on Tuesday, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Records show she is expected to […]
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Attorney for AJ Freund’s father in ‘serious’ negotiations with prosecutors
The attorney representing Andrew Freund in the murder of his 5-year-old son said that they are in ‘serious’ negotiations with prosecutors, hinting that a plea deal might be coming. Andrew T. Freund Sr. appeared briefly Thursday morning in a McHenry County courtroom for a trial date status hearing. Freund’s attorney, Special Public Defender Henry Sugden, […]