CHICAGO, IL —
UPDATE:
Authorities have now formally charged 48-year-old Shavon Gayden with one count of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of 7-year-old Eddimar Hernandez Chacon
—
A Chicago community is mourning the death of a 7-year-old girl who was fatally stabbed Saturday morning while walking along a sidewalk in the city’s Chatham neighborhood.
The child was identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as Eddimar Hernandez Chacon.
Authorities reported the incident occurred at approximately 11:55 a.m. Saturday, October 3, in the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue near East 86th Street.
The girl was walking along the sidewalk when an adult woman approached her, displayed a sharp object and stabbed her multiple times in the back.
The child was transported to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Police said the woman was not known to the child.
However, authorities have not publicly established a motive, and investigators were still working to determine exactly what prompted the attack.
Bystanders intervened
People in the area witnessed the attack and immediately rushed to help.
According to police, several bystanders pursued and detained the woman until officers arrived.
The woman sustained injuries during the confrontation and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Her injuries were described as non-life-threatening, and she was subsequently placed in police custody.
Her identity had not been publicly released.
Surveillance footage reviewed by NBC Chicago showed people rushing toward the area where the child had been attacked, while others pursued the woman suspected of the stabbing.
On Sunday, family members, friends and community members gathered near the location where Edi Mari was killed for a vigil in her memory.
Those attending released white balloons, lit candles and left flowers and candy at the site.
Relatives described Edi Mari as a cheerful child who loved to sing and dance.
According to NBC Chicago, Edi Mari had been in the area with her 16-year-old older sister.
Ald. Michelle Harris said the sisters had reportedly been there to pay a phone bill at a Boost Mobile store before the attack.
Investigators were still working to determine why the woman targeted the child.
Chicago 8th Ward Ald. Michelle Harris expressed her condolences to the family and condemned the violence.
She also recognized the bystanders who intervened, saying their quick actions may have prevented additional harm.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of children simply walking through their own neighborhoods.
A 7-year-old should be able to walk down a city sidewalk without becoming the victim of violence.
Chicago Police Area Two detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the stabbing.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Chicago police.
A child’s life should never
end this way.
Edi was only seven years old.
Her life should have been filled with school days, laughter, family memories, dreams and the opportunity to grow into the person she was meant to become.
Instead, a Chicago neighborhood is now holding a vigil and mourning a child whose life was taken.
May Edi’s memory be honored through action — paying attention, protecting children and demanding safer communities.
