IL - Andrew Freund, 5, Crystal Lake, 17 April 2019 *ARRESTS* *mother guilty* #5

[Victoria17]

WGN TV News‏Verified account @WGNNews

For many in the Crystal Lake community, the death of Andrew "AJ" Freund has become a call to action.

In wake of boy’s murder, volunteers seek ways to help children in McHenry County courts

WGN TV News on Twitter

This needs to be done. But, it’s needed to be done long before this as many children have lost their lives over nonsense. This has happened too many times in Illinois and I would love not to see it again, but I’m not sure it won’t sadly. I really hope this story is the last and we all open our eyes to reporting. And tbh, I’m still baffled that living without power is ok in DCFS eyes. Usually the water pump is ran by electric. Something needs to be done.

 

[Simply Southern]

So the left doesn’t know........

What a huge mess. 98 kids with cases died last fiscal year, 98 too many.

So true, all this "outsourcing" to private agencies and not being able to track results and outcomes, big loophole, that needs to be closed.

80 cases, I can't imagine having trying to cover that case load. With 80 cases, driving time, paperwork, say they spend 20 hours with clients, that's 15 minutes actual face/one on one time per client, per week. No wonder they are outsourcing.

 

[Simply Southern]

Does anyone know how many women in IL are in prison for murdering their children? I haven't researched that yet. I did scan the MCSO inmate list and only saw a few women in jail (compared to where I live). If those women none have murdering a child as a charge. There were some substance induced homicides, maybe 3, if I remember correctly.

I was not able to locate Illinois stats. Here's an estimate.

A parent killing a child happens more often than we think - CNN

Estimates one child per week is killed by parents...500 per year...

• Almost 72% of those killed by their own parents were 6 years old or younger.

• And one-third of the victims were just babies under 1 year of age.

But more than 13% of the victims were adults, specifically people in ages running from 18 to 40 years old. So the threat of filicide doesn't go away when people get old enough to move out on their own.

Only 10% of the victims were killed by their stepparents. That means 90% of the victims were the biological sons or daughters of the killer. And sons (52%) were more likely to be killed than daughters (38%).

• Parents used what the study called "personal weapons" to beat, choke or drown victims in the majority of cases involving underagekids.
• If the victims were adults, parents used guns in 72% of such killings.

Forensic psychiatrist Phillip J. Resnick, pioneer in the study of filicide research, identified five major reasons:

• Altruism: The parent kills the child because he or she may perceive it to be in the child's best interest. It may be reality-based (e.g., the child suffers from a terminal illness) or precede the suicide of the parent, as the parent feels it would be unfair to leave the child behind to face the cruel world.

• Acute psychosis: The parent kills the child based on ideas that are inconsistent with reality. For example, the parent believes the child has been possessed by the devil.

• Unwanted child: The parent kills the child that he or she regards as a hindrance.

• Accidental: The child's death is an unintentional outcome of parental physical abuse.

• Spousal revenge: The parent kills the child in an effort to exact revenge on the other parent.

 

[Trish51]

Thanks @Simply Southern! The information is similar to what I have been finding. Again, I don't know how credible the source was so didn't want to post the link. I also found some information on some blogs. Five hundred deaths a year is too much. One death is too much! I did read that infants under 1 are at a higher risk of being killed by their parents. I wonder if more guidance and parenting classes prior to birth and at the hospital would be beneficial. I know when my daughter had her baby a year ago, a requirement for discharge was a class. I don't remember what my daughter said was "taught" but she did mention child safety, bathing, eating (breast and bottle), and resources if you need help, including postpartum depression.

I also read that spousal revenge was a big risk in child deaths. That surprised me. I was thinking drug usage would be a higher risk. I surprised it's not listed as a risk factor. Maybe it falls under the accidental category.

According to the article you posted, it seems, imo, that JC falls under the acute psychosis category and possibly the accidental.

 

[Trish51]

Exclusive: DCFS investigators reveal missteps of agency

Thanks for posting this. I can definitely see the breakdown in many cases. In reading the OIG report, many were given intact services. That is why the case was closed. There is no oversight from DCFS to the outsourced company (or companies) and no follow up. I agree that there should be follow up in the cases. Ultimately, regardless of what the outsourced company does, in the public's eye, DCFS is the one that failed. DCFS is the one "we" hold accountable. I sure hope the extra funding helps and they use it wisely. I also think better teamwork with LE and DCFS would benefit as well.

Again, thanks for posting this article!

 

[sabepa]

JC was in court this morning filing a motion. More info (but not much) on social media.

 

[Trish51]

@HayLouise It's good to see that many are now stepping up to try and help. I know a few people who are CASA volunteers.

 

[Trish51]

JC was in court this morning filing a motion. More info (but not much) on social media.

I couldn't find anything in the court records. It may be too soon to have it posted.

 

[sabepa]

I couldn't find anything in the court records. It may be too soon to have it posted.

This is all that’s there. No documents or anything attached.

Hypothetically speaking, if the motion was filed privately in judge’s chambers, would we ever see a record?

 

[Only4Justice]

BBM. Link, please. Thanks.

This article states they were engaged but never married. Hope this is MSM.

Parents of missing 5-year-old AJ Freund charged with murder after Crystal Lake boy's body found in shallow grave

 

[bmacmillan1]

Getting some satisfaction envisaging the stark reality of where AF must be finding himself now, in jail without drugs to numb his conscience, for the part he played in the life his little son had to endure and his tragic ending.

 

[BlinkOfAnI]

Do they not need to confer with the bio dad to see if he’d like to raise his child?

States may differ but in mine neither the court nor children's services go out of their way to search for a father if the mother doesn't give names. JC may have and they will request a paternity test. If not they are only required to post 3 separate legal notices where a father may respond (if he sees the notice) within a certain number of days. It's usually posted in the legal section of the newspaper, the "Legal News" and on a bulletin in the clerk of court office (many times just handwritten on a piece of paper) If they tried to hunt down the bio Dad of every child without cause they would need need an entire division allocated for just that and the cost would be astronomical. From my court observations the only reasons they care about the bio Dad is in case he is unaware he has a child (it happens), to keep from paying welfare when the bio dad should, or for child support cases. I can only hope that JC said she didn't know who the father was and the father isn't interested enough to pursue. JMHO

 

[Trudie]

I can only hope that JC said she didn't know who the father was and the father isn't interested enough to pursue. JMHO

Yea, hard to say if she has a clue.

 

[Trish51]

Getting some satisfaction envisaging the stark reality of where AF must be finding himself now, in jail without drugs to numb his conscience, for the part he played in the life his little son had to endure and his tragic ending.

Me too! I'm sure he is not liking his new home either and is going to try every trick his lawyer brain knows to get out of there as fast as possible. However, he can't hide the fact that he put AJ in a cold shower for "20 minutes" and he buried his son and hid it and never called 911. I'm sure he did other things too but that's all we know right now from MSM.

 

[BlinkOfAnI]

Same goes for CS, no records for marriage or divorce.

Wish I had still subscribed to Ancestry. Marriage and divorce records are usually available.

 

[BlinkOfAnI]

Yea, hard to say if she has a clue.

My thought exactly.

 

[Trish51]

It would be a difficult task to try to find an unnamed father in a paternity case. I do think they will test DN as he was her "reported" boyfriend. They will already have AF's DNA so they can check that as well. Imo, it would be important for them to rule in or out DN as the father. Obviously, based on his convictions and current charges, he is unfit to have custody of her and they will want to terminate his rights as soon as possible. He may want the baby to go to someone in his family. I think he would have the right to say so. Again, this is just my opinion.

If JC doesn't know who the father is, then no, I can't see DCFS spending the time and resources to find the father.

 

[Victoria17]

Yea, hard to say if she has a clue.

She’s so selfish and most likely petty at the moment, that if the father was a good one who could offer the baby a good home and protection, she might refuse to give up information just because she caused her own issues and got all her kids taken away by her own actions. She showed she did it outside of jail. I really hope this baby goes to a good home. That gofund me needs to be put in a trust and not where it can just be spent openly. MOO

 

[Victoria17]

It would be a difficult task to try to find an unnamed father in a paternity case. I do think they will test DN as he was her "reported" boyfriend. They will already have AF's DNA so they can check that as well. Imo, it would be important for them to rule in or out DN as the father. Obviously, based on his convictions and current charges, he is unfit to have custody of her and they will want to terminate his rights as soon as possible. He may want the baby to go to someone in his family. I think he would have the right to say so. Again, this is just my opinion.

If JC doesn't know who the father is, then no, I can't see DCFS spending the time and resources to find the father.

I (for some reason) feel like they know who the father is without a doubt because she’s been living with AF and they have said plenty he isn’t the father and they seem confident in saying so. I think it’s safe to say that most would assume he was the father if they didn’t know he wasn’t. I don’t see them just taking their word for it, but maybe I’m wrong. JMO.

 

[Only4Justice]

I truly appreciate the words of your heart Trish, on Mother's Day, I will remember your words to me. Knowing that on that day, you will be thinking of me and praying for me.

Also with the words of Simply Southern, I will know that I have true support that will help me on that day.

I’m here for you too, @Thora_Jay. Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.