Woman Charged in Fatal Stabbing of 7-Year-Old Chicago Girl
Suspect faces first-degree murder charge as investigators continue to seek a motive in the East Chatham attack.
A 48-year-old Chicago woman has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 7-year-old Eddimar Paola Hernández Chacón.
Police said the girl was stabbed multiple times while walking along South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago's East Chatham neighborhood.
Bystanders detained the suspect, while authorities have not yet announced a motive or confirmed whether she knew the child.
A 48-year-old Chicago woman has been charged with first-degree murder following the fatal stabbing of a 7-year-old girl in the city's East Chatham neighborhood, authorities said.
The victim was identified as Eddimar Paola Hernández Chacón, who was fatally attacked late Saturday morning along South Cottage Grove Avenue near East 86th Street.
According to police, the girl was walking along the sidewalk when a woman approached and stabbed her multiple times in the back with a sharp object. She was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Bystanders who witnessed the attack intervened, chased down the woman, and detained her until police arrived. The suspect suffered injuries during the confrontation and was taken to a hospital before police took her into custody, according to authorities.
Police identified the suspect as Shavon Gayden, 48, of Chicago. She has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and was scheduled to appear at a detention hearing Monday.
Authorities have not announced a motive for the attack. Investigators also have not confirmed what relationship, if any, existed between Gayden and the child.
Family members and community residents gathered Sunday at the scene for a vigil in memory of Eddimar. Candles were lit and white balloons were released as relatives and neighbors mourned the child.
The girl's family has called for justice. Her mother, Estefany Hernandez, told ABC7 that her daughter's death should not go without accountability.
The case has drawn attention across the neighborhood, with local officials expressing condolences and praising bystanders who intervened during the attack.
The investigation remains ongoing and court proceedings are expected to provide further details about the allegations and circumstances surrounding the killing.
