A Saturday morning walk in Chicago’s South Side ended in tragedy when a 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbed on a sidewalk in the East Chatham neighborhood.
Chicago police said Shavon Gayden, 48, has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Eddimar Paola Hernández Chacón.
The attack happened shortly before noon Saturday in the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, near East 86th Street. Police said Eddimar was walking with her 16-year-old sister after the girls had been in the area to pay a phone bill when a woman approached them.
Investigators said the woman allegedly attacked Eddimar with a sharp object, stabbing her multiple times in the back. Police have not announced a motive, and it remains unclear what prompted the attack.
Eddimar was rushed to the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Witnesses Chased the Suspect
The attack drew an immediate response from people nearby. Witnesses went after the woman police identified as Gayden and detained her before officers took custody of her.
Gayden was injured during the confrontation and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Her injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Investigators later found two knives in Gayden’s purse, while another knife believed to be connected to the fatal stabbing was recovered between the location of the attack and the place where witnesses detained her, according to preliminary investigative information reported after the arrest.
Police have not said publicly what led to the alleged attack or whether Gayden and Eddimar had any previous connection.
Family Holds Vigil for Eddimar
On Sunday, Eddimar’s relatives, friends and neighbors returned to the area where she was killed for a vigil.
Family members gathered in prayer and released white balloons in her memory. The gathering came just one day after the child’s death and as investigators continued working to establish what happened in the moments leading up to the stabbing.
The girl’s death has also drawn concern from local officials. Eighth Ward Ald. Michelle Harris said the child should never have had to experience violence while simply walking along a neighborhood sidewalk.
Gayden’s Previous Court History Draws Attention
The new murder charge has also brought attention to Gayden’s previous criminal cases.
Court records cited in local reporting show she pleaded guilty in November 2024 to aggravated battery involving a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver and received two years of probation. She was arrested again the following month on misdemeanor battery and assault allegations. She later pleaded guilty in that case in July 2025 and received court supervision.
Records also indicate that an arrest warrant connected to a probation matter had remained active since February 2025.
Those previous cases are separate from the current murder allegation and do not establish guilt in Eddimar’s death.
Court Hearing Expected Monday
Gayden is scheduled for a detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Monday. Additional information about the prosecution’s allegations could emerge during the hearing.
For now, the motive remains unknown, and investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the attack.
For Eddimar’s family, the investigation comes as they mourn a 7-year-old whose life ended suddenly in a South Side neighborhood. The vigil Sunday gave those closest to her a chance to remember her while also calling for answers in a case that has left the community shaken.
