7-Year-Old Girl Fatally Stabbed by Stranger While Walking With Her Sister — Suspect Charged With Murder

A seven-year-old girl was killed in a shocking daytime attack while walking along a Chicago sidewalk with her older sister. Edi Mari Hernandez Chacon was reportedly approached by a woman she did not know, who stabbed her multiple times in the back in the city’s East Chatham neighborhood. The sudden violence stunned local residents, while the people who witnessed the incident rushed to intervene and help the child.

The attack happened shortly before noon on Saturday, October 3, 2026, near South Cottage Grove Avenue and East 86th Street. According to the Chicago Police Department, the woman approached Edi and attacked her with a sharp object. The young girl was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Her family was left facing an unimaginable loss after what should have been an ordinary walk with her sister.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes as bystanders realized what had happened. Some pursued the suspected attacker as she attempted to flee, eventually restraining her before police arrived. Video footage obtained by local media reportedly showed people chasing the woman with what appeared to be jumper cables. The suspect also suffered injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment before being placed in police custody.

Authorities later identified the suspect as 48-year-old Shavon Gayden, who was charged with first-degree murder, according to NBC Chicago. Police have not publicly established a motive for the attack, and investigators have not indicated that the woman knew Edi or her family. The circumstances leading up to the stabbing remain under investigation.

The killing has left the neighborhood struggling to understand how a child could be attacked while simply walking down the street. Residents expressed shock and sadness, while Alderman Michelle A. Harris offered condolences to Edi’s family and thanked the bystanders who intervened. She emphasized that children should be able to walk in their own neighborhoods without fear of violence.

As the investigation continues, Edi’s death has become a painful reminder of how quickly an ordinary moment can turn into tragedy. Police are continuing to examine the evidence surrounding the attack, while the family and community mourn a young girl whose life ended far too soon. The case will now proceed through the legal system as the accused faces the murder charge.

Source: PEOPLE, NBC Chicago and Chicago Police Department.