Venezuelan Girl, 7, Fatally Stabbed in Chicago; Suspect Charged

A seven-year-old Venezuelan girl, Edi Mari Hernandez Chacon, died after being stabbed multiple times in the back on Saturday morning in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood. She was walking with her 17-year-old sister near Cottage Grove Avenue and 86th Street around 11:55 a.m. when a woman approached and attacked them.

Prosecutors identified the suspect as 48-year-old Shavon Gayden, who allegedly lunged at the older sister before pulling the younger girl to the ground and stabbing her. The child was rushed to Comer Children's Hospital but succumbed to injuries that punctured her lungs and kidneys.

“No child should ever have to experience violence or fear while simply walking down the sidewalk.”

Bystanders chased Gayden as she attempted to flee, striking her with jumper cables and knocking her unconscious. She was hospitalized with a head injury and did not appear in court Monday; prosecutors charged her with first-degree murder.

Court records show Gayden has four prior cases, including two domestic battery charges and a 2023 conviction for attacking a bus driver. Her mother stated she had spent years seeking mental health treatment for her daughter.

The girl's family had recently arrived from Venezuela seeking a better future. Community members gathered at the attack site to mourn, while Alderman Michelle Harris condemned the senseless violence against a child.