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

[Niner]

Cunningham:

Future Court Events
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Date Time Room Event Type
07/16/2020 9:00 AM 204 SENTENCING


Previous Court Events
Date Room Event Type/Result Result
07/14/2020 302 HEARING - PENDING MOTIONS ALLOWED - IN PART

07/14/2020 302 HEARING - PENDING MOTIONS CONTINUED - SENTENCING

link: 19CF000289 - Public Case Access

 

[Niner]

Thursday, July 16th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 9am CT) – IL – Andrew “AJ” Freund, Jr. (5) (reported missing April 17, 2018, Crystal Lake; found buried in shallow grave on April 24, 2019, near Woodstock) – for *JoAnn D. Cunningham (35) “mom” arrested (4/24/19), charged (4/25/19), indicted (5/9/19) & arraigned (5/10/19) with 5 counts of 1st degree murder, 4 counts of aggravated battery of child, 2 count of aggravated domestic battery, 2 counts of concealment of homicidal death, 1 count of failure to report death of child, 1 count of abuse of corpse, 1 count of obstruction of justice, 2 counts of unlawful restraint, 1 count of circumstance of endangerment/death & 1 count of causing child to be endangered. Plead not guilty. $5M bond.
Plead guilty on 12/5/19. Sentencing on 7/16.
Court hearing from 4/25/19 thru 5/28/20 reference post #720 here:
Found Deceased - IL - Andrew Freund, 5, Crystal Lake, 17 April 2019 *mother & bf arrested* - #5
6/11/20 Update: Cunningham made statements during a psychological evaluation that could be helpful to the boy's father's defense, prosecutors said. Attorneys met Thursday morning for a brief status hearing on the criminal case against Cunningham. Over the objection of Cunningham's attorney, McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt granted prosecutors' request to share the possible exculpatory statements with the attorney who represents AJ's father, Freund Sr. Those statements will be shielded from public viewing under a court order, Wilbrandt said. Motions hearing on 7/14/20. Then sentencing on 7/16/20. 7/14/20 Update: Pending motions allowed in part. Next sentencing on 7/16/20.
*Andrew T. Freund, Sr. (60) – Next Trial Status hearing to set trial date on 7/30/20. Waived his right to jury trial wants bench trial.

 

[CHEL]

Fox 32 Chicago has been playing the live feed from the courtroom on Facebook.

 

[Shadowtrix]

Does anyone per chance have a link with video of the entire proceeding from today? I only just caught the last hour and haven't had luck finding any posted anywhere.

 

[Heaven Leigh]

Catching up. Hoping to find a link to the proceeding as well.
Thanks for all the updates.

"She had beaten this little boy to the edge of death … locked in his room. He had to endure the bleak process of death all by himself," Kenneally said.
Kenneally then described the process of AJ's death, from the beating to the swelling brain while he was cold and locked in his room, choking and ingesting his own blood."
Updates: JoAnn Cunningham sentencing in death of AJ Freund | Northwest Herald

 

[dyannaON]

I think this has the entire video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=722717071901589

 

[mju8]

Incredibly painful to listen to the video audio from the killer’s cell phone videos of her tormenting little AJ. The little boy was up against a demon - I’m so relieved his pain is over after hearing this first hand today. The agencies (DCFS) we put in place to protect him failed him repeatedly despite cops and medical professionals and neighbors doing their part. How these DCFS people are not charged is beyond me. This cannot ever be allowed to happen again. The cost is too great.

 

[Cubby]

Two things in Joann's statements stand out to me. First, "Anyone who truly knows me knows how much I love being a mother more than anything in the world". This is a blatant lie. She loved the drugs more than anything else in her life. Even after having lost custody of AJ to foster care, she still didn't take her addiction seriously and prioritized drugs over her child. Secondly, and even more revealing, imo, is "I would give my life to have AJ back. This is something I will never escape from." No, she sacrificed AJ's life for her own addiction. Escape? Interesting choice of a word considering substance abuse is all about escaping ones own reality. 60 years isn't enough. What happened to LWOP? How can 60 measly years be the max? I didn't hear her entire statement but what I did hear was all about herself. Even in death and sentencing she still can't put her deceased child ahead of herself.

 

[shotgun09]

Read Her Full Emotional Statement: Mother of AJ Freund Tearfully Addresses Court While Awaiting Sentencing in Son's Murder Trial

Video of mothers statement, along with printed version

 

[bmacmillan1]

Incredibly painful to listen to the video audio from the killer’s cell phone videos of her tormenting little AJ. The little boy was up against a demon - I’m so relieved his pain is over after hearing this first hand today. The agencies (DCFS) we put in place to protect him failed him repeatedly despite cops and medical professionals and neighbors doing their part. How these DCFS people are not charged is beyond me. This cannot ever be allowed to happen again. The cost is too great.

I agree. The extent of his injuries are far worse than I ever imagined, poor, poor little boy.

 

[gitana1]

Incredibly painful to listen to the video audio from the killer’s cell phone videos of her tormenting little AJ. The little boy was up against a demon - I’m so relieved his pain is over after hearing this first hand today. The agencies (DCFS) we put in place to protect him failed him repeatedly despite cops and medical professionals and neighbors doing their part. How these DCFS people are not charged is beyond me. This cannot ever be allowed to happen again. The cost is too great.

Why was she recording herself tormenting her sweet baby?

 

[girlhasnoname]

I couldn't listen to this 'mother's' statement nor could I listen to the awful detailed account of precious AJ's injuries. It's so beyond comprehension that any parent would harm their own child flesh/blood.

So sad that this loving little guy died to finally find peace away from Cunningham. I hope they both serve the maximum which could never be enough IMO.

Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune•July 16, 2020

 

[girlhasnoname]

Why was she recording herself tormenting her sweet baby?

I don't think we will ever understand the depraved mind of these child killers. Maybe she enjoyed watching the video?! Sick, sick.

 

[Shadowtrix]

I don't think we will ever understand the depraved mind of these child killers. Maybe she enjoyed watching the video?! Sick, sick.

That or she felt it would somehow show how 'oppositional' poor AJ was and in her own sick mind, justified her harsh, twisted depravity.

 

[Rhenish]

She deserves the maximum sentence for the torment, physical abuse, and death that A J suffered at her hands. I wish she would have shown AJ the mercy that she is now begging for. Reading/listening to her statement demonstrates how delusional and out of touch she is with regard to the reality of what she did, so much so that she believes she is worthy of the court's mercy. I do not believe she has any sense of the brutality she inflicted on AJ and likely his siblings. 60 years of confinement is nothing/will be nothing compared to the 5 years of torment her child suffered. IMO, she should get the maximum.

 

[Shadowtrix]

She deserves the maximum sentence for the torment, physical abuse, and death that A J suffered at her hands. I wish she would have shown AJ the mercy that she is now begging for. Reading/listening to her statement demonstrates how delusional and out of touch she is with regard to the reality of what she did, so much so that she believes she is worthy of the court's mercy. I do not believe she has any sense of the brutality she inflicted on AJ and likely his siblings. 60 years of confinement is nothing/will be nothing compared to the 5 years of torment her child suffered. IMO, she should get the maximum.

Agreed. And the fact that she ended her allocution statement with, "I want my kids/sons(?) to be proud of me" really highlights just how out of touch with the reality of all of this she still is.

 

[JerseyGirl]

AJ Freund murder: JoAnn Cunningham makes tearful address during first sentencing hearing

 

[Niner]

Docket:
Previous Court Events
Date Room Event Type/Result Result
07/16/2020 204 SENTENCING TAKEN - UNDER ADVISEMENT

07/16/2020 204 SENTENCING HEARING - STARTED/CONTINUED


Future Court Events
Sign up for Court Event Reminders
Date Time Room Event Type
07/17/2020 1:30 PM 204 DECISION

link: 19CF000289 - Public Case Access

 

[Niner]

Friday, July 17th:
*Sentencing Decision Hearing (@ 1:30pm CT) – IL – Andrew “AJ” Freund, Jr. (5) (reported missing April 17, 2018, Crystal Lake; found buried in shallow grave on April 24, 2019, near Woodstock) – for *JoAnn D. Cunningham (35) “mom” arrested (4/24/19), charged (4/25/19), indicted (5/9/19) & arraigned (5/10/19) with 5 counts of 1st degree murder, 4 counts of aggravated battery of child, 2 count of aggravated domestic battery, 2 counts of concealment of homicidal death, 1 count of failure to report death of child, 1 count of abuse of corpse, 1 count of obstruction of justice, 2 counts of unlawful restraint, 1 count of circumstance of endangerment/death & 1 count of causing child to be endangered. Plead not guilty. $5M bond.
Plead guilty on 12/5/19. Sentencing on 7/16.
Court hearing from 4/25/19 thru 6/11/20 reference post #722 here:
Found Deceased - IL - Andrew Freund, 5, Crystal Lake, 17 April 2019 *mother & bf arrested* - #5
7/14/20 Update: Pending motions allowed in part. Next sentencing on 7/16/20.
7/16/20 Update: Sentencing hearing held. A series of video tapes were played in court where Cunningham is heard interrogating her son about who he would run to tell about any abuse. At one point, his little voice replied the devil. The recording was made by Cunningham just days before he was killed. Court also listened to a recording of Cunningham berating A.J. She did address the court tearfully. Cunningham faces 20-60 years in prison and prosecutors are seeking the maximum. She is next due in court at 1:30 pm Friday, 7/17/20 for Judge's decision.
*Andrew T. Freund, Sr. (60) – Next Trial Status hearing to set trial date on 7/30/20. Waived his right to jury trial wants bench trial.

 

[gitana1]

Agreed. And the fact that she ended her allocution statement with, "I want my kids/sons(?) to be proud of me" really highlights just how out of touch with the reality of all of this she still is.

How did she react when they played video of her tormenting AJ? (I couldn’t watch).