Woman charged with murder after fatally stabbing seven-year-old girl in Chicago

Chicago police have charged 48-year-old Shavon Gayden with first-degree murder following the fatal stabbing of a seven-year-old girl. Authorities described the incident as an unprovoked attack that occurred on a sidewalk in the city's Chatham neighborhood.

The attack happened shortly before noon on Saturday as the young girl was walking with her 17-year-old sister along a busy street. According to police and prosecutors, Gayden grabbed the child and stabbed her. Bystanders pursued and restrained the attacker until police arrived and made an arrest at the scene.

The victim was identified as Eddimar Hernandez-Chacon, who was pronounced dead at Comer Children's Hospital. A security camera from a nearby business captured an image showing the girl walking hand in hand with an older woman shortly before the attack occurred.

It remains unclear whether any relationship existed between the attacker and the victim, and police have declined to discuss a possible motive. Local reports indicate that an initial police report characterized the stabbing as unprovoked. Reports also noted that Gayden had a prior history of seemingly random attacks, including one against a public transit employee, for which she pleaded guilty and received two years of probation.

Gayden had been scheduled to appear in court on Monday but remained hospitalized at the time; a new hearing has been set for Wednesday. A representative for the county's public defender's office confirmed Gayden was assigned a defense attorney at Monday's hearing but declined further comment.

The girl's uncle started a fundraising campaign to cover funeral costs, writing that her death left an indescribable void and deep grief among those who loved her. A local television station reported that Gayden's mother, who asked to remain anonymous, apologized for the stabbing and said she had struggled to secure mental health treatment for her daughter.