A peaceful Saturday morning in Chicago’s South Side neighborhood of Chatham turned into a horrifying scene after a 7-year-old girl was allegedly attacked and stabbed to death while simply walking down the street with her teenage sister.
The child, identified by authorities and family members as Edi Mari Hernandez Chacon, was walking in the area of South Cottage Grove Avenue near East 86th Street shortly before noon Saturday when police say a woman approached her with a sharp object and stabbed her multiple times in the back.
The attack happened in broad daylight, leaving witnesses and the girl’s family devastated.
According to police, Edi Mari and her 16-year-old sister had been in the area after reportedly stopping at a Boost Mobile store to pay a phone bill. Authorities say the girls were walking together when a woman they did not know allegedly followed them before attacking the younger child.
Surveillance footage obtained by local media reportedly captured the moments surrounding the horrific incident, showing people rushing toward the area after the stabbing.
Police said bystanders quickly intervened after witnessing what happened.
The alleged attacker did not simply walk away without being confronted.
According to authorities and local reports, several people chased after the woman and managed to detain her until police arrived. The woman was also injured during the confrontation and was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The suspect was later identified as 48-year-old Shavon Gayden.
Chicago police have since charged Gayden with first-degree murder in connection with Edi Mari’s death. She remains accused of the crime and has not been convicted.
Meanwhile, Edi Mari was rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital following the stabbing. Despite efforts to save her, the little girl died from her injuries.
Authorities have not announced an official motive for the attack.
NBC Chicago reported that the woman who allegedly approached Edi Mari did not know her, while FOX 32 characterized the incident as an apparent random attack. Police, however, have not publicly established exactly why the girl was targeted.
The tragedy has left Edi Mari’s family struggling to understand how their 7-year-old could leave the house and never make it home.
A vigil was held Sunday near the location where she was killed, with relatives and members of the community gathering to remember the little girl.
Family members described Edi Mari as a happy child who loved drawing, playing with her siblings and dreamed about growing up. Her stepfather, Pedro Izquierdo, told ABC7 Chicago that she was happy and had dreams of becoming somebody when she grew up.
The family returned to the location of the attack as members of the community gathered to show their support. White balloons were released during the vigil, while relatives mourned the loss of a child whose life was taken far too soon.
The girl’s death has also raised questions surrounding the suspect’s previous encounters with the criminal justice system.
Gayden had previous criminal cases, including a 2023 case involving an attack on a CTA bus driver. She was sentenced to two years of probation in that case. Court records also show another case in 2024 and an arrest warrant issued in February 2025 after she missed court, although it was unclear whether that warrant was ever executed.
Gayden’s mother has now publicly apologized to Edi Mari’s family.
She told ABC7 that she believed her daughter had struggled with her mental health for years and said she had attempted to get her daughter help. She expressed sympathy for Edi Mari’s family while saying she felt the system had failed her own daughter.
But for Edi Mari’s loved ones, none of that changes the devastating reality that a little girl who was simply walking with her sister is gone.
Chicago officials have also expressed condolences to the family and praised the bystanders who intervened after the stabbing.
Ald. Michelle Harris called the killing senseless and specifically thanked the people who rushed to help and detained the suspect until police arrived.
Now, Gayden faces a first-degree murder charge as the investigation and court proceedings move forward.
The motive remains unclear, and authorities are still working to determine exactly what led to the attack.
For Edi Mari’s family, however, the questions may never have easy answers.
A 7-year-old girl went out with her sister on a Saturday morning.
She never made it home.
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