Woman Charged With First-Degree Murder in Fatal Stabbing of 7-Year-Old Chicago Girl

A 48-year-old Chicago woman has been charged with first-degree murder after a 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbed while walking with her older sister on a South Side sidewalk.

Police identified the suspect as Shavon Gayden, who was taken into custody after bystanders intervened and detained her following the attack in the Chatham neighborhood on Saturday, October 3.

The victim was identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as Eddimar Paola Hernández Chacón. She was walking along South Cottage Grove Avenue near East 86th Street shortly before noon when, according to prosecutors, Gayden approached the children and attacked her.

Police said the woman used a sharp object to stab the girl multiple times in the back. Eddimar was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Prosecutors said Eddimar and her teenage sister had been walking together after visiting a nearby business. According to details presented after the attack, Gayden had allegedly been involved in a confrontation with employees at a nearby store shortly before approaching the girls.

NBC Chicago reported that prosecutors said Gayden lunged toward the older sister before turning her attention to Eddimar when the teenager moved out of the way. The prosecution’s account is part of the allegations against Gayden, who is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Bystanders who witnessed the attack chased after Gayden and restrained her until police arrived. She suffered injuries during the confrontation and was subsequently taken to hospital. Her injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

Gayden was due to appear in court on Monday, but the hearing was postponed because she remained hospitalized. A judge ordered her detained until her next court appearance, which was scheduled for Wednesday, October 7.

The case has drawn widespread grief in the Chatham community. Family members and residents gathered for a vigil at the site of the stabbing, leaving balloons, flowers and other items in memory of the child. Eddimar’s mother, Estefany Hernandez, has called for justice for her daughter.

Police initially said they had not established a motive for the killing. Authorities have described the attack as unprovoked, while prosecutors have provided additional details about events immediately before the stabbing.

Gayden’s mother has since spoken publicly, expressing condolences to Eddimar’s family and saying she believed her daughter needed help. NBC Chicago also reported that Gayden had previous criminal cases in Cook County, including a 2023 case involving an attack on a Chicago Transit Authority employee.

The investigation and court proceedings are continuing.