Mother of missing Illinois boy 'uncooperative': police

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (WGN) -- Crystal Lake police Monday said there are no updates, arrests or new developments in the case of Andrew "AJ" Freund, a 5-year-old boy reported missing last week.

Deputy Chief Tom Kotlowski said the boy's mother, JoAnn Cunningham, "continues to be uncooperative with police." Last week, she hired a defense attorney because she felt police considered her a suspect.

Andrew was reported missing Thursday. His parents told police they last saw him at bedtime Wednesday, around 9 p.m. After an exhaustive search, police Friday said there was “no indication” Andrew had been abducted. Police said they were focusing their investigation on the boy's home and "the individuals that may have seen or had contact with AJ last."

DCFS said the agency has had extensive contact with Andrew's family since he was born in 2013 with opiates in his system.

Police said his father, also named Andrew Freund, spoke with detectives Saturday.

Kotlowski said his department, the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are actively investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call 815-356-3620 or text an anonymous tip to 847411 along with the letters "CLPDTIP."

The parents were living together — but not in a romantic relationship — at the time of Andrew's disappearance. Freund was Cunningham's divorce attorney in 2002.

The couple has a younger son, who was taken into protective custody by the state last week. Cunningham, who is seven months pregnant, said she plans to fight the situation at a hearing Tuesday.

Detectives have searched nearly 1,000 acres of land so far and scanned the waters of Crystal Lake. Police previously said canine units could only detect Andrew's scent inside his home — meaning the boy had not left on foot.

DCFS confirmed Friday that the agency is very familiar with Andrew's family after investigating allegations of abuse and neglect. Andrew was at one point placed in foster care for two years before returning home — only for more allegations of abuse to surface last year.