7-year-old girl fatally stabbed in Chatham; woman in custody, vigil held
Chicago police said a 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbed in the Chatham neighborhood, and a woman is in custody. Police have not identified the girl or the woman, and investigators have not said what relationship, if any, existed between them.
Officers responded to the stabbing call after the child was found wounded. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police said detectives from the Area One violent crimes unit are investigating the killing.
Neighbors gathered for a candlelight vigil to mourn the child. Attendees left flowers and stuffed animals near the scene, and community members asked for the girl's family to have privacy.
The Cook County medical examiner's office is expected to determine the official cause and manner of death. Police said the investigation remains open, and no charges had been announced as of the latest update.
Chatham is on Chicago's South Side. The fatal stabbing follows other recent violent crimes against children in the city, which police and city officials have repeatedly cited as a priority for intervention and community safety efforts.
