The whereabouts of a 5-year-old Crystal Lake boy remained unknown Friday, a day after he was reported missing, but police said that their investigation was focusing on his home and they don’t believe he was abducted.
Late Friday afternoon, a team of police in about seven vehicles pulled up to the house and went inside. At least one of them said, “Crystal Lake police. We gotta search warrant.”
Some of them later emerged outside, but then returned into the house carrying unfolded boxes.
In another development late Friday afternoon, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it has had contact with the family of the boy, Andrew “AJ” Freund, since he was born in 2013 with opiates in his system. DCFS continued having contact off and on until late 2018, a spokesman said. A younger son was placed into DCFS custody Thursday, officials said.
Andrew was last seen at bedtime, about 9 p.m., on Wednesday in the family home. After waking up Thursday morning and being unable to find him in the home, Andrew’s parents reported the boy missing, police said.
After a day-long search on Thursday, police in a news release Friday said, “In reviewing all investigative information thus far, there is no indication that would lead police to believe that an abduction had taken place.” They also said: “Information obtained currently has police focusing on the residence.”
Canine teams that were used during the investigation “only picked up Andrew’s scent within the residence indicating that Andrew had not walked away on foot,” police said.
A neighbor who lives across the street said the boy’s father, also named Andrew Freund, left the home through the back door about 2 p.m. Friday and began walking down Dole Avenue. While he was walking, he said, “Find my son … find my son,” according to the neighbor, Janelle Butler.
Butler said police approached him and tried to keep others away from him, but not before he made a plea to media members who were at the scene.
“AJ, please come home,” he said. “We love you very much. You’re not in any trouble. We’re just worried to death. Please, please come home.”
DCF Timeline in Link
DCFS has long history with family of missing Crystal Lake 5-year-old 'AJ' Freund; police raid boy's home
The whereabouts of a 5-year-old boy remained unknown Friday, a day after he was reported missing, but police said their investigation was focusing on his home.
www.chicagotribune.com