Groups Petition For Changes To DCFS Following AJ Freund's Death

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — In the two weeks since the body of 5-year-old AJ Freund was discovered, there have been discussions and reports about the Department of Children and Family Services’ handling of the case. In addition, groups have sparked conversations on adoption and foster care efforts in hopes of removing children and teens from troubled homes.

Patch.com has detailed in recent weeks the encounters AJ's parents had with DCFS during his short life. AJ was placed in foster care with a relative after he was born with opiates and benzodiazepines in his system. After 18 months, AJ was returned to his parents care and DCFS made 26 visits to the home where they reported no signs of abuse or neglect. The family went almost two years without any contact with DCFS until calls started coming in again, starting in March 2018, regarding "odd bruising" on AJ's face and dog feces on the floor at the home. AJ made a comment to a doctor examining him in December 2018: "Maybe someone hit me with a belt. Maybe mommy didn't mean to hurt me."

• 'Maybe Mommy Didn't Mean to Hurt Me': DCFS Reports Released

The group Fix Child Welfare in the USA NOW started a petition on change.org titled, "Expanded funding for DCFS to save children from dangerous homes," pushing for Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to implement just that. As of Friday, May 10, the petition had nearly 500 signatures.

"The continuing underfunding of DCFS has lead to wide spread employee shortages and overwhelming caseloads that make it nearly impossible for caseworkers to perform due diligence," the petition states. "How many more children must die before we say enough?"

Another change.org petition, "Hold DCFS accountable for the loss of Andrew Freund" also pushes for change led by Governor Pritzker, and has more than 73,000 signatures as of Friday, May 10.

More petitions and efforts for change, including number of signatures/supporters as of Friday, May 10:

• AJ Child Protection Act: To - Illinois State Governor, Illinois House, Illinois Senate; nearly 2,500 signatures
• Make October 14th a national/worldwide holiday as it’s A.J. Freund’s birthday AJ’sDay: To - Elected national and state officials; a dozen signatures
• AJ's Law: To - Illinois State Senate, Illinois State House, Senator Durbin, Senator Duckworth; nearly 60 signatures
• DCFS Call Center Overhaul: To - President Trump and majority leaders; nearly 40 signatures
• Justice for AJ Freund and Semaj Crosby!!!: To - State of Illinois Governor, State of Illinois Legislature, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, State of Illinois constitutional elected officials; more than 105 signatures
• Swift JUSTICE for Andrew(A.J) Freund: To - Everyone; nearly 100 signatures

A letter written by McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally in May 2018 to a Department of Children and Family Services administrator in Aurora was recently obtained by the Chicago Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request, and includes concerns Kenneally had regarding three cases DCFS was handling in McHenry County. According to the Chicago Tribune, the letter was sent about one year before 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy Andrew "AJ" Freund was allegedly beaten to death.

With the recent death of AJ, the Chicago Tribune reports Kenneally is going after the agency claiming it isn't doing its job.

More: Prosecutor Wrote Letter To DCFS A Year Before AJ Freund's Death

In addition, people are also looking to help keep children from troubled homes, and find them loving parents in the wake of AJ's death. To help make this happen, local organizations including Let It Be Us, a Barrington-based nonprofit with the mission of adoption and education of children in foster care across the state, and Moms of McHenry County, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, empowering and encouraging members through every stage of motherhood and serving the community, have been hosting adoption and foster care information events.

• Adoption, Foster Events Care Scheduled After AJ Freund Tragedy
• Overwhelming Concern Over Freund Family Dog Lucy: Report
• Wear Blue for AJ: Funds Pour In For Boy's Funeral

More than $70,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe page set up to help bring in funds for AJ's recent funeral, and any additional funds will go toward helping AJ's younger brother, Parker, and his unborn sibling. Parker is staying with "loving family members," according to the GoFundMe. His mother, Joann Cunningham, is seven months pregnant. Both Cunningham and Freund have been charged in connection with AJ's murder. The GoFundMe was set up by Kim Clausen of McHenry, Illinois, who knows AJ's older brother. Donations can be made here.

Patch will update this piece as information comes in.

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