$5 million bond set for each parent in murder of Illinois boy



WOODSTOCK, Ill. — Bond was set at $5 million each for the parents of AJ Freund Thursday morning.

Andrew Freund Sr., 60, and Joann Cunningham, 36, appeared in McHenry County Court Thursday morning. They both opted for public defenders.

WGN was in court and said the mother cried while listening to the charges. The parents will be arraigned April 29.

Both face multiple charges including five counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and a count of failure to report a missing child or death. Freund is also charged with concealing a homicide.

Police said the 5-year-old’s body was found wrapped in plastic and in a shallow grave.

Possibly linked to the boy's death are the dirty shovel, toddler mattress, large plastic tub and several bags of evidence removed from the family home Wednesday.

Animal control was also called to take custody of the family dog.

The cause of AJ’s death is not yet known, but Thursday’s bond hearing could shed light on what happened inside the home, leading to the 911 call last Thursday morning in which AJ’s father calmly reported that his son was missing.

Both parents claimed they last saw AJ after he went to bed the night of April 17.

An autopsy on the recovered body is also scheduled for Thursday.