ABC7: Chicago Woman Charged With Murder of 7-Year-Old Due in Court Monday

Shavon Gayden, a 48-year-old Chicago resident, is scheduled for a detention hearing in court on Monday following charges of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 7-year-old Edi Mari Hernandez Chacon, ABC7 Chicago reported. The attack occurred just before noon on October 3, 2026, in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, as the young girl walked down the sidewalk.

Stabbing on South Cottage Grove Avenue Takes Young Life

Edi Mari Hernandez Chacon was walking south on the sidewalk near the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue and East 86th Street, accompanied by her older sister, when the assault unfolded. According to Chicago Police Department statements, Gayden approached the child unprovoked, produced a sharp object, and stabbed her multiple times in the back. NBC 5 Chicago noted that the sisters had been visiting a nearby Boost Mobile store to pay a phone bill just prior to the attack, after which the suspect followed them.

Surveillance footage obtained by local news outlets showed the victim walking hand-in-hand with a woman moments before the incident. Following the attack, bystanders rushed to the scene to intervene. Chicago police reported that citizens detained Gayden until law enforcement arrived, while dispatch scanner traffic detailed a chaotic scene as crowds gathered around the injured child.

Officers applied pressure to staunch the bleeding while waiting for paramedics. An ambulance arrived approximately ten minutes later, escorted by police squad cars to Comer Children’s Hospital. Edi Mari was pronounced dead at 1:01 p.m. on October 3, 2026, according to police.

Gayden Has History of Attacks and Probation Violations

Court documents outline a history of prior attacks and probation violations involving the suspect. In 2023, Gayden was arrested for attacking a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver and received a sentence of two years of probation. Records indicate she subsequently violated that probation by assaulting two shelter workers, leading to a sentence of court supervision. After failing to appear for subsequent court dates, an active arrest warrant was issued, though it remains unclear from public records whether that warrant was fully executed prior to the October 2026 attack.

Following her detention by bystanders, Gayden sustained injuries during the scuffle and was transported to a local hospital for treatment before being booked into police custody. Investigators have not yet established a motive for the stabbing.

Community Holds Vigil for 7-Year-Old Victim

On October 4, 2026, family members, neighbors, and community leaders gathered at the site of the attack for an emotional vigil. Attendees released white balloons, lit candles, and scattered candy in memory of the 7-year-old, who relatives described as a happy child who loved to draw, play with her siblings, and wait by the window for her parents to return home. Speaking in Spanish, the victim’s mother, Estefany Hernandez, demanded accountability. My daughter’s death should not be left like this, Estefany Hernandez said. There must be justice for my little girl. She wasn’t bothering anyone.

Elected officials issued public statements addressing the tragedy. Alderman Michelle Harris of the 8th Ward also released a statement praising the swift intervention of bystanders who detained the suspect and prevented further violence. Investigators have urged anyone with additional information regarding the incident to contact the Chicago Police Department.