Chicago woman charged with first-degree murder in stabbing death of 7-year-old girl

CHICAGO - A Chicago woman is charged with first-degree murder after police say a 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbed Saturday morning on the South Side.

Apparent random attack

What we know:

First-degree murder charges were approved for 48-year-old Shavon Gayden, who is accused in the girl’s death.

According to police and family members, the 7-year-old was walking with her 16-year-old sister in the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue around 11:55 a.m. Saturday after leaving a phone store near 86th Street.

A woman the children did not know allegedly followed them and attacked the girl with a sharp object, stabbing her multiple times in the back, police said.

The girl, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as Edi Mari Hernandez Chacon, was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she died.

Police said bystanders subdued and held the woman until officers arrived. Gayden was also injured and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

What they're saying:

The girl’s extended family gathered at the location where she died. Her name was spelled out in candy on the sidewalk as family and community members mourned.

Family friend Tiger Thompson said the girl’s older sister returned to the scene to seek a sense of closure.

"The daughter who was with the younger daughter. She had to come back here and get closure, although there’ll never really be any closure behind it," Thompson said. "But it’s something to help her soul heal. The rest of the family decided to join, and it became a nice event."

Eighth Ward Ald. Michelle Harris said she could not imagine what the 16-year-old witnessed.

"The 16-year-old sibling, I can’t imagine what she’s going through," Harris said. "She’s right there with baby sister. It’s a nightmare, what I imagine is a nightmare."

Harris met with Eddimar’s mother to offer community support.

Neighbor Nettsi Hardy Rogers said she felt compelled to give the girl’s mother cash.

"It’s sad, it’s sad," Rogers said. "I urge our community to come together. This family needs our help and our support."

Harris called the stabbing a heinous act and thanked the bystanders who intervened.

"My community is horrified," Harris said. "This was a heinous act. We are praying for family, we offer condolences. The community is going through a mourning process in dealing with this."

Thompson said the gathering showed the community’s willingness to support the family.

"It’s community coming together to support each other," Thompson said. "No matter who you are, where you’re from, no matter what the case may be, the community came together to make it happen and do what needed to be done."

What we don't know:

Police have not released additional details about what led to the attack.

What's next:

Gayden is due in court Monday for a detention hearing.

Arrest history

Chicago Police Department records show several previous arrests for Gayden between 2016 and 2024. The listed charges include domestic battery, aggravated battery involving a transit employee and aggravated assault involving a peace officer, firefighter or emergency worker.