Chicago Girl, 7, Dies in Broad Daylight After Being Allegedly Stabbed Multiple Times in the Back

A 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbedin the back while walking along a Chicago sidewalk in broad daylight, and a 48-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the alleged unprovoked attack.

The victim, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as Eddimar Paola Hernandez, was attacked shortly before noon on Saturday in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.

According to Chicago police, Hernandez was walking southbound along a sidewalk near 86th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue when the suspect approached her. Police said the woman pulled out a sharp object and stabbed the child multiple times in the back.

First responders transported Hernandez to Comer Children's Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

Bystanders Detain Suspect at Scene

The fatal stabbing occurred along a busy commercial strip, prompting immediate intervention from witnesses who saw the attack unfold.

Bystanders rushed in to tackle and hold the suspect on the sidewalk until law enforcement arrived.

Police said the woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries while being restrained and was treated at a local hospital before being transferred into police custody.

Police later identified the suspect as 48-year-old Shavon Gayden of Chicago, announcing on Sunday that she had been formally charged with first-degree murder.

Investigators have not established a motive for the killing, and police have not said whether Gayden knew the child or if the attack was entirely random.

Surveillance footage appeared to show Hernandez walking hand-in-hand with her older sister moments before the stabbing, followed by video of bystanders running towards the scene to restrain the suspect.

Family Mourns Seven-Year-Old Girl

Community members and family gathered at the scene on Sunday for a candlelight vigil to mourn the young child.

Speaking through an interpreter in Spanish, Hernandez's stepfather, Pedro Izquierdo, described her as a vibrant child with big dreams for her future. Her mother, Estefany Hernandez, publicly demanded full legal accountability for the person accused of killing her daughter.

'My daughter's death should not be left like this,' she said in Spanish. 'There must be justice for my little girl. She wasn't bothering anyone.'

Pattern of Prior Violent Offenses

Court records obtained by ABC7 reveal that Gayden was previously known to law enforcement, with a history of violent incidents dating back to 2023.

In 2023, Gayden was arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver and later received a sentence of two years' probation.

In 2024, records state she was found to have violated that probation, and she was also accused of assaulting two shelter workers, for which she received court supervision.

Court records indicate that Gayden subsequently failed to appear in court, leading to an active arrest warrant. It remains unclear from those records whether law enforcement executed that warrant before Saturday's fatal stabbing.

Shortly before the incident, Gayden reportedly engaged in an altercation with employees at a nearby wireless store. However, police have not confirmed whether that dispute was connected to the subsequent attack.

Local Officials React to Senseless Violence

The daylight killing has sparked widespread outrage across Chicago, with local leaders commending the citizens who stepped in to stop the suspect.

Chicago Alderman Michelle Harris, who represents the Chatham district, called the stabbing a senseless tragedy.

In a public statement, Harris noted that no child should ever experience fear or violence while simply walking down the street, adding that the swift actions of bystanders likely prevented further injuries.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also extended condolences to the victim's family, calling the incident a devastating loss for the entire city.

Gayden was scheduled to make her first court appearance on Monday, as detectives continued to gather witness testimony and review security footage.