Who is Shavon Gayden? What happened in the fatal stabbing of 7-year-old Eddimar Hernandez in Chicago

A 7-year-old girl, Eddimar Hernandez Chacon, tragically lost her life after being allegedly stabbed in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood on Saturday morning. Shavon Gayden, a 25-year-old woman, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the incident. According to court records, Gayden has a history of legal troubles, including two domestic battery cases and a 2023 charge for attacking a bus driver, for which she received two years of probation.

Gayden was apprehended immediately after the attack and was found in possession of two knives. One of the knives was determined to be the one used in the stabbing. The Chicago Police Department reported that Gayden approached the victim from the south and stabbed her "unprovoked," using a knife. The attack took place on Cottage Grove Avenue, where Gayden had just left a store after threatening an employee.

Eddimar and her 17-year-old sister were walking nearby when the stabbing occurred. The girl managed to duck as Gayden lunged at her, prompting the suspect to pull the 7-year-old to the ground and stab her. Surveillance cameras captured the incident, and bystanders quickly chased and restrained Gayden until police arrived.

On Monday, Gayden appeared in court for her detention hearing related to the murder charge, but her presence was hindered by a head injury. She is also scheduled to appear in court the following day for an alleged probation violation. Her mother, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed her grief and frustration, stating that her daughter had been struggling with mental health issues for years and that they had sought help for over a decade.