NOTE: NBC 5 will offer live coverage beginning at 1 p.m. CST. Watch live here.
Crystal Lake police are preparing for a large turnout at the visitation for Andrew "AJ" Freund, a 5-year-old boy who disappeared from the northwest Chicago suburb and whose body was later found buried not far from his home.
Many are expected to pay their respects Friday in a public visitation and police advised anyone not planning to attend the services to "avoid the area."
The young boy's disappearance and murder sent shockwaves across the Chicago area and the country last month after a week-long search ended with his body found and his parents charged with murder.
The public visitation will be held from 1-8 p.m. at the Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, located at 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave. in Crystal Lake.
"The Crystal Lake Police Department anticipates a large public turnout to celebrate the life of AJ. Crystal Lake officers will be on location during the visitation to assist with the large volume of traffic expected in order to ensure the safety of those planning on attending the services and those traveling through the area," the department said Thursday.
Police urged anyone not attending to "seek alternate routes of travel" in the area surrounding the funeral home.
Viewers who cannot attend the visitation can watch the services live online and in the app. NBC 5 will offer live coverage from the funeral home throughout the gathering.
"AJ’s family and friends would like to the thank Crystal Lake and surrounding communities for their generosity, prayers and outpouring love and support," AJ's obituary read. "As difficult and tragic as this is, may AJ’s death bring awareness and hope to other children living under abusive conditions. No child deserves this. Let us rise up and make sure it does not happen to other innocent children."
AJ's parents are currently being held on $5 million bonds in connection with the boy's death.
Read the full complaints against them
Crystal Lake police said late last month that investigators located the boy's body wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave in a remote area of Woodstock, just miles from the Crystal Lake home where he was reported missing.
Local
Police said the boy's father led them to the body after they discovered a brutal video on the mother's cellphone. (WARNING: Disturbing details)
Community members have flocked to the child's Crystal Lake home to leave candles, balloons and stuffed animals to remember the young child. Many wore blue Friday in his memory.
Not long after the services were announced, a tribute wall already had several entries on the funeral home's website.
Read his full obituary here.
