The mother of a 5-year-old Illinois boy who was savagely beaten and then forced to stay in a cold shower pleaded guilty to murder on Thursday morning. JoAnn Cunningham, 36, now faces 20 to 60 years in prison in the death of AJ Freund—who was buried in a shallow grave after the slaying in their filthy, mold-infested home. AJ’s father, Andrew Freund—who reported the boy missing, sparking a massive manhunt—still faces trial on murder and other charges. The little boy’s death last spring brought criticism of child-welfare workers’ handling of previous complaints about the couple.
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