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Chicago Charges Shavon Gayden With Murdering 7-Year-Old

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 3:51 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Shavon Gayden Charged

U.S. police charged Shavon Gayden with first-degree murder for stabbing 7-year-old Eddimar Hernández Chacón.
The stabbing occurred at 11:55 a.m. Saturday in Chicago’s 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.
Eddimar Hernández Chacón was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital and was pronounced dead.
Bystanders chased and detained Gayden until police arrived.
Gayden is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday in Cook County Criminal Court.

Summary

Shavon Gayden Arrested

Shavon Gayden attacked a CTA bus driver in 2023 and received two years probation.
In 2024 she assaulted two shelter workers, violating probation and prompting court supervision.
After missing a court date, authorities issued a warrant for her arrest before the October 3 stabbing.
Chicago police Area Two detectives are leading the homicide investigation and collecting motive evidence.

History

Historical Context

Bill Clinton signed the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act—drafted by Senator Joe Biden—into law, funding roughly 100,000 new police officers and expanding federal penalties for violent offenses. Chicago detectives now investigate Shavon Gayden, whose 2023 CTA assault and 2024 shelter attacks culminated in the October 3 stabbing of 7-year-old Eddimar Hernández Chacón, reviving debate over the bill’s tough-on-crime legacy.

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Shavon Gayden Charged

U.S. police charged Shavon Gayden with first-degree murder for stabbing 7-year-old Eddimar Hernández Chacón.
The stabbing occurred at 11:55 a.m. Saturday in Chicago’s 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.
Eddimar Hernández Chacón was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital and was pronounced dead.
Bystanders chased and detained Gayden until police arrived.
Gayden is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday in Cook County Criminal Court.

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