7-Year-Old Girl Out with Her Sister Becomes Victim of Seemingly Random Attack in Chicago — Suspect's Troubling Past Now in Focus

She was holding her sister's hand on a Saturday morning, a little girl with so much life ahead of her, when a stranger approached and left her loved ones facing the unthinkable.

Eddimar Paola Hernández Chacón, 7, was walking through Chicago's Chatham neighborhood on Saturday, October 3, 2026, when an ordinary outing became a desperate emergency. Witnesses described people rushing to help and others chasing a woman down the street, while records later raised a troubling question about the person accused of hurting her.

What Happened to Eddimar During Her Walk with Her Sister?

Around 11:55 a.m., Eddimar and her sister were walking along South Cottage Grove Avenue near East 86th Street on Chicago's South Side. Surveillance footage captured them holding hands just before the attack.

They were in the 8600 block, on a sidewalk where a child should have been able to pass safely. There was no reported encounter or disagreement that explained why someone would approach Eddimar.

According to WGN, police said a woman suddenly came toward her and stabbed her with a sharp object, leaving her with multiple wounds to her back.

The little girl and the woman were not believed to know each other. Witnesses and police sources described the attack as apparently random, and investigators had not established a motive.

Footage obtained by NBC Chicago showed people rushing toward the area where Eddimar had been hurt. In the middle of an ordinary Saturday, strangers were suddenly trying to help a child whose life was in danger.

Eddimar was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, but medical staff were unable to save her. She was declared dead shortly after arrival. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified her in the hours afterward.

For the people nearby, the fact that she was so young was almost impossible to take in. One witness, identified only as Candie because she wanted to protect her privacy, spoke about the duty adults have to keep children safe.

"We're supposed to protect these babies, not kill them," she said. Candie then appealed directly to the city:

"That poor, precious baby. Chicago, wake up! These are innocent babies."

The child they were grieving had been described by her family as cheerful and fun, a little girl who loved to sing and had big dreams. Those are the memories her loved ones now have to carry through a goodbye that came far too soon.

According to a report from a Venezuelan news outlet, Efecto Cocuyo, Eddimar belonged to a Venezuelan family from Margarita Island that had come to the United States in search of a better future.

That account also used the alternative name Edimar Carreño, while U.S. outlets and authorities continued to call her Eddimar Paola Hernández Chacón.

Beyond the differing spellings in initial reports, the heartbreak for her family remains absolute. They had hoped to watch her grow up. At seven, she should still have had years to discover what she wanted to become, with the people who loved her there to cheer her on.

Now, that future has been violently cut short, with an arrest and murder charges left in its wake.

What Did Witnesses Do When the Suspect Left the Scene?

As people went to Eddimar's aid, others turned their attention to the woman believed to have attacked her. Surveillance video described by WGN showed her walking away calmly.

William Smith was inside his nearby barbershop when the commotion drew his attention outside. "I noticed there was a little girl laying on the ground. There were people standing over her," William said.

He then heard someone point out the suspect:

"I heard a young lady, or somebody, say, 'That's the lady. She did it. She's running.'"

Witnesses described two men pursuing her, including one carrying what appeared to be jumper cables or a similar object. William said the woman was struck, fell, and was struck again as the confrontation continued.

William flagged down a police officer. Police said bystanders detained the woman, who received hospital treatment for injuries sustained during that encounter before she was taken into custody.

Her injuries were not considered life-threatening. Authorities identified her as Shavon Gayden, 48, and charged her with first-degree murder, as Univision reported.

She was expected to appear in court on Monday, October 5. Meanwhile, the investigation brought renewed attention to earlier cases involving her.

WGN reported that Shavon's history of arrests and court cases in Chicago extended back at least a decade. Court records cited by the station showed that she had an active arrest warrant at the time of the attack, issued after she missed a proceeding in a previous case.

In 2023, Shavon threatened and attacked a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver. She later pleaded guilty and received two years of probation. Records showed that she then violated that probation by assaulting two workers at a shelter. She received court supervision in that case.

Those earlier incidents document a history of violence, but there is currently no explanation as to why the outstanding warrant had not resulted in an arrest before that Saturday. Nor did they establish why Eddimar was targeted.

Alderman Michelle Harris, who represents the 8th Ward, thanked the bystanders who intervened. She said their response may have prevented further harm and helped get assistance on the way. "No child should ever have to experience violence or fear while simply walking down the sidewalk," Michelle said.

She urged anyone with information to contact the Chicago Police Department. Her statement also called on the community to support those affected and hold the person responsible accountable.

Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the killing at an event on Sunday, October 4. "Any time a tragedy happens to a young person, it's that much more egregious," he said.

He pledged to keep working to reduce violence and said Chicago would not be satisfied until every community was completely safe. He also spoke about the help families need after such a loss.

"We are going to continue to pray for the families, but I think it's all of our responsibility to ensure that we are providing as much support as we possibly can during these difficult times," the mayor added.

For Eddimar's mother, that support must come alongside answers.

What Is Eddimar's Mother Asking for as She Mourns?

Estefanía Hernández joined relatives and community leaders at a vigil where her daughter had been attacked. Speaking to Telemundo Chicago, she made a direct appeal for justice. "Don't let my daughter's death go unanswered," she said, translated from Spanish.

It was a mother's plea to the people responsible for pursuing the case. She had already lost her child, and she was asking that what happened to Eddimar receive the attention and accountability it deserved.

Estefanía uses the name Morena Esa on social media. There, her messages were more intimate, addressed to the little girl she could no longer hold.

In a Facebook video, people released white balloons into the sky. Estefanía's accompanying words remembered her daughter's smile and promised that the family would remember her as she had always been.

She called Eddimar her little girl, filling the message with expressions of sorrow. The release of those balloons offered a way to say goodbye when words were clearly so difficult to find.

Another video tribute brought together collages of Eddimar. Alongside the images, Estefanía called her daughter her baby and asked God to place her somewhere beautiful.

There is something painfully familiar in that wish. Even in grief, a mother is still asking for her child to be cared for. Other relatives were mourning from far away. In an October 4 Facebook post, Rosa Hernández described the tightness in her throat upon hearing the news.

Rosa explained that Eddimar was her sister's granddaughter and her niece's daughter. She wrote about the helplessness of being separated from the family in Chicago, unable to be beside them as they faced their loss.

Despite that distance, she said they were united in mourning. She wished the news could be a nightmare, something the family might wake up from. Her grief was accompanied by anger and repeated demands for justice. Other posts on Rosa's social media carried that same call for accountability.

For the relatives watching from afar, sharing those messages was one way to stand with Estefanía. They could not remove her pain, but they wanted her to know she was not facing it alone.

How Is Eddimar's Uncle Helping the Family Say Goodbye?

While relatives mourned, Eddimar's uncle, Richard Hernández Chacón, began trying to ease the financial burden facing the family. He created a GoFundMe titled "En memoria de Eddimar Hernandez Chacon," asking for help to give his niece a dignified farewell.

Richard explained that the money would cover expenses connected with her death, including funeral services, transportation, and any other necessary costs that arose. These were arrangements the family had to make while struggling with the shock of losing her.

At the time of this publication, several donations had brought the total to nearly $2,000 toward an $18,000 goal.

Richard described Eddimar as a very special child whose death had left an emptiness that was impossible to explain. His appeal reached out to friends and relatives, as well as people who had never met her but wanted to help.

He said any donation, regardless of its size, would be a meaningful contribution. For those unable to give money, sharing the campaign would also help. He thanked everyone offering comforting words and prayers for Eddimar and her family. His closing wish was that God would receive his little niece and grant her eternal rest.

It's completely understandable that the family is now asking for help to lay Eddimar to rest and for justice. The little girl who went out holding her sister's hand deserved to come home, and after this tragedy, her loved ones deserve to know that everything possible is being done for her.