CHICAGO (WLS) — The mother of Shavon Gayden, who is accused in the fatal stabbing of 7-year-old Eddimar Hernandez, says she is devastated by the child’s death and believes years of attempts to secure mental health care for her daughter went unanswered.
Speaking by phone and requesting that her name and photograph remain private, Gayden’s mother offered her condolences to Eddimar’s family.
“I am deeply sorry for that family. That little girl did not deserve this,” she said, adding that her daughter had not been mentally well.
Police said Gayden encountered Eddimar near 86th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue Saturday morning and stabbed the child several times in the back.
Investigators said surveillance footage shows Eddimar walking with her older sister before bystanders intervened. The witnesses restrained Gayden until police reached the scene.
Paramedics transported Eddimar to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she later died.
Gayden’s mother said she had seen her daughter’s mental health deteriorate for more than 10 years while repeatedly struggling to find meaningful assistance.
She said she felt abandoned by the system because Gayden was an adult and authorities told her there was little she could do to intervene.
Court records show Gayden has been involved in four earlier cases, including two that involved domestic battery allegations.
In 2023, she assaulted a CTA bus operator and received a two-year probation sentence.
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Her mother said she attended court proceedings in that case and raised concerns with Gayden’s public defender.
Another case, filed in 2024 and involving two people at a shelter, led to an alleged probation violation.
Court records indicate that a warrant was issued in February 2025 after Gayden failed to appear. Records do not make clear whether police ever carried out the warrant.
Gayden’s mother said she remains convinced that more intervention was possible before the fatal attack.
She apologized again to Eddimar’s loved ones, saying her daughter had struggled for years and that she had tried to get help but could not obtain the support their family needed.
On Sunday, relatives and neighbors gathered at a vigil for Eddimar. Family members remembered her as a joyful child who enjoyed drawing, playing with her siblings and watching from the window for her parents to return home.
Gayden has been charged with first-degree murder. Although a detention hearing was set for Monday, she remains hospitalized, and a full hearing will be held at a later time.
Mayor Brandon Johnson posted the following statement Sunday:
Johnson said he was heartbroken by the killing of a 7-year-old Chicago girl who was walking with her family. He offered condolences to Eddimar’s loved ones and the Chatham community, saying no child should fear for her life while walking through her neighborhood. Johnson said the city would continue working with the Chicago Police Department and support the family and community as the investigation continues.
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