Luz Garcia of Rockford and Angelica Zamudio of Crystal Lake hold flower, toys and a teddy bear as they wait with other mourners to attend the visitation of 5 year old A.J. Freund of Crystal Lake at Davenport Family Funeral Home on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. (Mark Black/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (AP) - Hundreds of people have converged on a northern Illinois funeral home to pay respects to a 5-year-old boy whose parents have been charged with his murder.
The opportunity to file past the body of AJ Freunds' closed casket Friday at Davenport Funeral Home in Crystal Lake was a chance for a town to come together and grieve the loss of a boy made known by his tragic death.
Barbara Verseman of Crystal Lake says although she still wants to know why the boy was killed, she is "taking comfort that he's in a better place."
The boy's parents, 36-year-old JoAnn Cunningham and 60-year-old Andrew "AJ" Freund Sr., are due in court next week for a preliminary hearing. Authorities accuse the parents in the boy's beating death . Police found his body in a shallow grave covered with straw April 24, nine days after authorities say he died and a week after his parents reported him missing .
An obituary on the funeral home's website said AJ "was an extremely smart and friendly boy" who couldn't wait to start kindergarten in the fall.
Signs and ribbons line the street in front of the Davenport Family Funeral Home, where the visitation of 5 year old A.J. Freund of Crystal Lake is being held on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. (Mark Black/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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Michelle Cairo of Crystal Lake, left, waits in line with other mourners to attend the visitation of 5 year old A.J. Freund of Crystal Lake at Davenport Family Funeral Home on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. (Mark Black/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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Mourner Gerri Noble, 75 of Crystal Lake prays the Rosary while waiting in line to attend the visitation of 5 year old A.J. Freund of Crystal Lake at Davenport Family Funeral Home on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. (Mark Black/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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Mourners line up to attend the visitation of 5 year old A.J. Freund of Crystal Lake at Davenport Family Funeral Home on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. (Mark Black/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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Jame Kieras of Algonquin holds is 3 year old son James Jr. as they wait in a long line to attend the visitation of 5 year old A.J. Freund of Crystal Lake at Davenport Family Funeral Home on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. (Mark Black/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
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Cars line up along Terra Cotta Avenue Friday, May 3, 2019, as mourners head to visitation services for AJ Freund at Davenport Funeral Home in Crystal Lake, Ill. AJ'S parents, Andrew Freund Sr., 60, and JoAnn Cunningham, 36, were charged with his murder. (Brian Hill/The Daily Herald via AP)
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Prayer cards for AJ Freund, a 5-year-old boy, sit on a table next to the visitor guestbook at Davenport Funeral Home on Friday, May 3, 2019 in Crystal Lake, Ill. Hundreds of people have converged on the northern Illinois funeral home to pay respects to Fruned whose parents have been accused of his murder. The opportunity to file past the body of AJ Freunds' closed casket was a chance for a town to come together and grieve the loss of a boy made known by his tragic death. The boy's parents, JoAnn Cunningham and Andrew "AJ" Freund Sr., are due in court next week for a preliminary hearing.(Matthew Apgar/Northwest Herald via AP)
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People wipe away tears Friday, May 3, 2019, after leaving the visitation services for AJ Freund, 5, at Davenport Funeral Home in Crystal Lake, Ill. AJ'S parents, Andrew Freund Sr., 60, and JoAnn Cunningham, 36, were charged with his murder. (Brian Hill/The Daily Herald via AP)
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Three women pause to reflect Friday, May 3, 2019, as a community gathers for the visitation services for AJ Freund at Davenport Funeral Home in Crystal Lake, Ill. AJ'S parents, Andrew Freund Sr., 60, and JoAnn Cunningham, 36, were charged with his murder. (Brian Hill/The Daily Herald via AP)
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