5-year-old girl fatally stabbed in East Garfield Park

CHICAGO - A 5-year-old girl was fatally stabbed Saturday morning in East Garfield Park on the West Side.

Chicago police officers responded to the 3200 block of West Fulton Boulevard around 9:15 a.m. for a call of a person stabbed. Chicago firefighters were already tending to the injured girl when officers arrived, police said.

The girl, identified as Serenity Arrington, was then transported to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

Neighbors say Arrington had just moved to the block this summer, but in a short amount of time she made a big impression with her friendly smile.

This comfortable fall day, neighbors expected to see Arrington playing with her older sister.

“We had met them about a month ago because they had just moved in and they were living right across the alley from me as I said,” said neighbor Tom Latimer.

The sisters would often ride bikes, but their presence on the 3200 block of West Fulton is now absent.

“And they had a kitten or a cat and they liked animals. They would visit with my dog and they brought their cat to meet my wife who’s a cat person,” said Latimer.

Just after 9 a.m. Saturday, 911 calls began pouring in.

“Multiple calls came in so I know one of them came from inside the house, an older gentleman who was in the house as well,” said Chicago Police Officer Jose Jara.

Arrington had been repeatedly stabbed and later died at Stroger Hospital. Police say when they got on scene, they arrested a woman standing outside who appeared to be waiting for them. Neighbors say it was the child’s mom. Friends say this is out of character for the woman, who is 27-years-old.

“Long as I’ve been knowing her she never seemed that way to me,” said family friend Keith Smith.

Smith says he’s in shock.

“When it happens and it’s somebody that you personally know that hits deep,” said Smith.

Police are now working with DCFS and trying to determine if the woman in custody has mental health issues.

“There were prior calls to the address. We just don’t know what happened today, but there were multiple calls in the past,” said Officer Jara.

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Neighbors say publicly, the 27-year-old woman appeared to be a good mom who often sat outside while her girls played.

The woman remains in custody Saturday night with charges pending.

Area Four Detectives are investigating.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.