A.J. Freund Case Update: Parent's Abuse Video Helped Police Locate Boy's Body

A video discovered on his mother’s phone reportedly helped lead police to the location of A.J. Freund’s body, resulting in the arrest of his parents for his murder.

The video was filmed March 4, six weeks before Andrew Freund Sr. and JoAnn Cunningham were arrested for the death of their 5-year-old son. People reports that the boy is shown in a beaten state in the footage and that a voice can be heard that is believed to be A.J.’s mother yelling at him for wetting his bed.

Court documents detail the video further, revealing that A.J. was lying undressed on a bare mattress with “some small bandages around both wrists and circling his hips.” He is also seen with an ice pack on his face, nursing “deep red bruising around his eyes.” A.J. also had more bruising around his upper chest and neck.

Authorities don’t believe he received proper medical attention for the bruises.

Police discovered the video, confronting Freund Sr. with the newly acquired evidence on April 24. Freund Sr. then revealed the location of the shallow grave where A.J. was buried.

Freund Sr. further revealed that he had confronted Cunningham about the physical punishment that she allegedly implemented, suggesting something less physical. It’s believed this is what led to A.J. being forced to take an extended cold shower on April 15 after his mother learned he had soiled his pants. After being in the shower for 20 minutes, Freund Sr. took A.J. to his bed and left him there “cold, wet, and naked.”

Not long after this, Cunningham went to check on A.J. She panicked at first, looking up child CPR on Freund Sr.’s phone, before determining their son had died.

The incarcerated couple is facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and failure to report a child missing. Freund Sr. is also being charged for concealment of a homicide.