Prosecutors seek to terminate parental rights of couple charged in AJ Freund's death

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Monday, July 8, 2019
Prosecutors seek to terminate parental rights of couple charged in AJ Freund's death
Prosecutors are seeking to terminate parental rights to the younger brother of slain 5-year-old AJ Freund.

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (WLS) -- Prosecutors are seeking to terminate parental rights to the younger brother of slain 5-year-old AJ Freund. Court proceedings will take place Monday.

The younger brother was removed from the home by DCFS following AJ's disappearance.

Andrew Freund Sr. and Joann Cunningham are charged with first degree murder in the death of their son AJ.

WATCH: AJ Freund's body found 6 days after he was reported missing

The parents of 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy Andrew "AJ" Freund, whose body was found Wednesday, were charged in his murder.

Cunningham gave birth to a baby girl in jail in May. The baby is being held in protective custody. A separate hearing regarding a paternity test for the baby will also take place Monday.

Cunningham, was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, four counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated domestic battery, and one count of failure to report a missing or child death.

WATCH: DCFS timeline of interactions with AJ Freund's family

Here's a closer look at the Illinois Department of Child & Family Services's connection to AJ Freund starting at his birth.

Andrew Freund Sr. was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery, one count of aggravated domestic battery, two counts of concealment of a homicidal death, and one count of failure to report a missing or child death.

The boy was found in a shallow grave, wrapped in plastic six days after he was reported missing last April, police said.

SEE INSIDE: Photos from AJ Freund's home show filthy conditions

SEE INSIDE: Photos show dilapidated and filthy conditions inside the Crystal Lake home in 2013, before and around the birth of AJ Freund.

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