Click to copy

Illinois parents plead not guilty in son’s beating death

May 10, 2019 GMT

1 of 2

FILE - This combination of undated photos provided by the McHenry County Sheriff's Department in Woodstock, Ill., on Thursday, April 25, 2019 shows JoAnn Cunningham, left, and Andrew Freund Sr. Video recovered from an Illinois woman's cellphone that shows her 5-year-old son bruised and bandaged prompted the boy's father to lead investigators to the boy's body, according to court records released Wednesday, May 1. Cunningham and Freund are charged with murder in Andrew "AJ" Freund's death. (McHenry County Sheriff's Department via AP, File)

1 of 2

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois mother and father have pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the beating death of their 5-year-old son.

JoAnn Cunningham and Andrew Freund Sr. of Crystal Lake appeared in McHenry County court Friday, the day after a 30-page grand jury indictment was handed down in the case.

Police found Andrew “AJ” Freund’s body last month in a shallow grave, nine days after authorities say he was beaten to death and a week after his parents reported him missing .

McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt granted a defense request for a psychological exam of Freund. The judge also said a gag order request from both parents’ attorneys was too broad.

Court records show the parents forced AJ to take a cold shower as punishment for lying about soiling his underwear.