AJ - Updated Timeline
Missing Since - Apr 17, 2019
Missing From - Crystal Lake, IL
DOB - Oct 14, 2013
Age Now - 5
Sex - Male
Race - White
Hair Color - Blonde
Eye Color - Brown
Height - 3'5"
Weight - 65 lbs
2012
- AF was JC's divorce attorney
June 7, 2012
- DCFS received a hotline call alleging inadequate supervision. The allegations were that JC is abusing prescription drugs and neglecting her foster child. The report was unfounded and expunged.
December 24, 2012
- DCFS hotline received a call alleging environmental neglect and injurious environment as to her oldest son. The report alleged JC is abusing prescription drugs and has mental health issues. The report was unfounded and expunged.
2013-2018
- Crystal Lake police said officers have been called to the home 17 times since the child was born five years ago. The Crystal Lake Police Department released reports detailing what they call "unacceptable" living conditions along with alleged drug abuse and concerns the Department of Children and Family Services had for the children's welfare. DCFS last had contact with the family in December of last year
January 17, 2013
- JC involved in a legal dispute with her mother, involving JC’s eldest son. JC’s mother filed an order of protection petition accusing JC and AF of forcing JC’s eldest son to live in “constant fear, hunger and filth,” as well as denying him medical care, food, clean clothing and a healthy living environment. (Closed 10/21/13)
June 13, 2013
- JC was charged with retail theft, took another plea and received more supervision and fines
June 13, 2013
- AF was charged with retail theft, and received one year supervision and drug and alcohol treatment
June 26, 2013
- JC battery charge - She negotiated a plea deal, paid a fine and got six months supervision, anger counseling and drug addiction treatment
October 14, 2013
October 16, 2013
- DCFS received a hotline report alleging substance misuse by neglect, afterJC gave birth to AJ on 10/14/13. AJ and JC tested positive for opiates and benzodiazepines. The report was indicated for Substance Misuse. AJ was removed from his mother’s care during the investigation
November 2013
- DCFS took AJ into protective custody. He was placed into foster home
May 30, 2014
- JC - OFP (Closed 6/10/14)
October 13, 2015 - Tuesday
- AF, who was licensed in 1984, was suspended for two years and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after ninety days by a two-year period of conditional probation. While representing his client in a dissolution of marriage case, AF was convicted of indirect criminal contempt after the judge found that he had violated court orders. Also, he appeared in court on behalf of a client after he had been removed from the Master Roll of Attorneys due to his failure to register or complete his mandatory continuing legal education requirements. The suspension is effective on October 13, 2015
June 2015
- AJ was returned home from foster care
October 13, 2015
- JC - Ordinance Violation, Animal Control
April 2016
- DCFS closed AJ’s Protective Custody Case
March 21, 2018
- A hospital social worker called the DCFS hotline to report that AJ had “odd bruising on his face,” the state agency said. Both AJ and his younger brother, now 4, were wearing clothes that were inside out, according to a Tribune source who reviewed the child welfare records. The incident began after police found JC asleep in her car, her arms, neck and feet covered in “fresh track marks” from needles, according to the source and records.
March 2018
- DCFS investigated allegations of neglect by JC and AF, but concluded they were unfounded. The mother agreed to re-enter treatment
April 18, 2018
July 20, 2018
- Mortgage Foreclosure Opened
December 18, 2018 - Tuesday
- DCFS investigated another allegation of abuse and neglect by JC. AJ was temporarily removed by police, but he was returned to the home after the allegations were ruled unfounded. There was no evidence to support allegations of deplorable conditions in the home, and bruising on AJ was attributed to the dog
December 19, 2018 - Wednesday
- Woodstock police arrested DN, after he allegedly kicked and hit two nurses and a security guard at Northwestern Medical Hospital. DN 36 yr old, is also reported to have lived at the home some time within the past year
December 21, 2018
February 8, 2019
- JC - Ordinance Violation, Animal Control (closed 5/8/19)
April 4, 2019 - Thursday
- Neighbors said the family was supposed to be out of the home by April 4
April 15, 2019 - Monday
- Parents forced AJ into a shower and/or struck him, leading to his death
April 17, 2019 - Wednesday
- Last seen in bed at 9:30 pm
April 18, 2019 - Thursday
- AF went to doctor appointment and returned home @ 8:30am
- AJ reported missing by 911 call made by AF
- JC’s attorney said JC had been questioned by police on Thursday
- JC was arrested at the LCPD on an arrest warrant for failure to appear on driving with a suspended DL. JC was released after paying the required $300 bond
April 19, 2019 - Friday
- Late Friday afternoon, a team of police in about seven vehicles pulled up to the house and went inside with a search warrant
- Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it has had contact with the family of the boy, AJ since he was born in 2013 with opiates in his system. DCFS continued having contact off and on until late 2018
- A younger son was placed into DCFS custody
- Police said, “In reviewing all investigative information thus far, there is no indication that would lead police to believe that an abduction had taken place.” They also said: “Information obtained currently has police focusing on the residence.”
- Canine teams that were used during the investigation “only picked up AJ’s scent within the residence indicating that Andrew had not walked away on foot”
April 23, 2019 - Tuesday
- JC - Court 8:30am driving with a suspended DL
- Shelter Hearing for AJ’s younger brother
April 24, 2019 - Wednesday
- Information was obtained from forensic analysis of cell phone data. Once presented with the evidence obtained by investigators, both JC and AF provided information that ultimately led to recovery," said Crystal Lake Police Chief JB.
- Overnight police and FBI interviewed both JC and AF after information was obtained through a forensic analysis of cell phone data. Once presented with the information, the parents provided information about the location of the boy's body.
- AJ’s body was found 7 miles from home - buried in shallow grave and wrapped in plastic
- Police were seen removing items from boy's home in Crystal Lake, including a small mattress, shovel caked with dirt, plastic storage totes and bags
- Family dog “Lucy” was removed from home by Animal Control.
- JC - Charged
- 5 counts of first degree murder
- 4 counts aggravated battery
- 2 counts of aggravated domestic battery
- 1 count of failure to report a missing or child death
- AF Sr. - Charged
- 5 counts of first degree murder
- 2 counts aggravated battery
- 1 counts of aggravated domestic battery
- 2 counts of concealment of homicidal death
- 1 count of failure to report a missing or child death
- Police allege AJ was forced into a cold shower for an extended period of time and struck before he died
- Two vigils held
April 25, 2019 - Thursday
- Bond Hearing - 8 am (JC and AF)
- Bond was set at $5 million each. They will each have to pay $500,000 to get out of jail
- Autopsy to determine COD will be preformed
- Cause of death determined as "craniocerebral trauma as a consequence of multiple blunt force injuries." According to the Coroner AJ suffered skull and brain trauma as a result of multiple blunt force injuries
April 27, 2019 - Saturday
- Vigil - 6:30 pm at Lippold Park
April 29, 2019 - Monday
Case information website:
Public Case Access - McHenry County
IL General Assembly definitions for counts:
Illinois General Assembly Home Page
AF Court Documents:
Andrew Freund Criminal Complaint
JC Court Documents:
JoAnn Cunningham Criminal Complaint
McHenry Co Sheriff Dept inmate search:
McHenry County Sheriff
JoAnn Cunningham
Andrew Freund
ARDC: Disciplinary Reports and Decisions Search