Court Records Show History Of Neglect, Drugs For Freund's Parents

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Joann Cunningham and Andrew Freund had a long history of drug abuse and neglectful behavior toward Cunningham’s children prior to the death of their son, AJ Freund, court documents show. In January 2013, Lorelei M. Hughes, Cunningham’s mother, filed for custody of Cunningham’s oldest child, who was 12 years old at the time. Echoing police reports filed in recent years, the petition filed six years ago sheds some light onto the ongoing issues happening behind the doors of 94 Dole Ave. in Crystal Lake, where prosecutors say 5-year-old AJ Freund was beaten to death last week.

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Hughes first began caring for Cunningham's oldest child, who is now 18 years old, when Cunningham dropped him off in August 2012. At the time, Cunningham was living at 94 Dole Ave. in Crystal Lake with Andrew Freund. Freund was representing Cunningham in her pending divorce case.

In order to pay her legal fees, Cunningham , who was unemployed, was getting pills for Freund, according to the petition. Cunningham and Freund took her oldest child with them, even once while he was ill, to pick up the prescription pills in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

The child told his grandma he saw both Cunningham and Freund take pills and witnessed them under the influence of the medication, according to petition for child custody.

In addition, Cunningham often drove with the child while under the influence, which caused her to swerve in traffic and left the child fearful she may cause an accident, according to court documents.

Starting in August 2012, Cunningham began dropping her child off more frequently with Hughes, who was 52 years old at the time and living in McHenry. When Hughes returned the child to 94 Dole Ave., she noticed the home in severe disrepair. Hughes said she would stay at the home for two to three hours picking up dog feces and washing dishes. The home also frequently did not have hot water or any water service and at the beginning of the winter season, there was no heat, according to the filings.

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Hughes also learned her grandson did not get regular meals, getting something to eat four out of the seven days per week. The remainder of the time, according to the petition, there was no food in the house. Cunningham did not cook for the child, and he was left to “fend for himself.” He also cooked three to four times per week for Cunningham and Freund, according to the petition.

“Upon information and belief, the child was sent to school daily with no food and no money to purchase a lunch,” according to court documents. “...Often there was no food in the residence and the child had only marshmallows and water to eat.”

The home had dog feces on the floor, dirty dishes in the sink and dirty clothing piling up at the home. Hughes would take as many as 10 loads of dirty laundry, with much of the clothing smelling like cat urine, from the home and return it cleaned to her daughter, according to the petition.

Cunningham's oldest child did not have appropriate clothing to wear and sometimes went a week at a time without clean clothing, Hughes reported in the petition.

The petition revealed Cunningham and Andrew Freund would go out frequently, leaving the 12-year-old child alone at home. During one instance, the child was left alone overnight when he was vomiting, had diarrhea and a temperature of 102 degrees while Freund and Cunningham went out with Cunningham’s friend. The child missed a month of school during the 2011-12 school year and 10 days of school in the 2012-13 school year, prior to being dropped off at his grandma’s home.

In addition, the child witnessed violent acts between Cunningham and Freund. The couple had weekly arguments that turned violent and involved Freund shoving Cunningham and Cunningham punching Freund. During one fight, Cunningham pulled out a knife and threatened Freund and Freund pushed Cunningham down the stairs, according to the petition.

In other instances, Andrew Freund would dress up in an army uniform and walk around the home with a gun in his hand, according to Hughes' filings. The fights, the child said, frightened him and made him fear his mom would be seriously injured.

During another instance in the summer of 2012, Cunningham made his son stay in her bedroom, telling him it was a “safe room” and if they left the room, the neighbors would kill them. The child told his grandma he refused to live with Cunningham and if was required to, he would run away.

And during his time away from his mom, Cunningham told the child that if he does not return to 94 Dole Ave., she will kill herself, according to the petition.

"...Requiring the child to return to said residence would put the child in serious danger of physical, emotional and mental harm," the petition said.

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