Edgewater community mourns 11-year-old boy killed in violent attack: 'I miss him'
CHICAGO - A North Side community is in mourning following the tragic death of an 11-year-old boy in a violent attack.
Jayden Perkins was killed and his pregnant mother injured in an assault that occurred on Wednesday.
Friends and neighbors on Thursday gathered outside the apartment complex where the incident took place to pay their respects. Flowers were laid near a tree outside the building, and a prayer was said before releasing balloons in memory of Jayden.
Jayden and his mother were both stabbed multiple times. Described as kind and helpful by his classmates, Jayden was known for his involvement in school plays.
"I miss him," said Mason Hamm, a classmate of Jayden. "It's not going to be the same without him."
Chicago police have a suspect in custody, identified as a man recently released from prison with a history of violence against the victim. According to police, the suspect broke into a home in Edgewater on Wednesday morning, stabbing Jayden and his pregnant mother, who remains in critical condition.
Arrest made after child killed, pregnant woman injured in Edgewater
A suspect with a long history of domestic violence, who was just released from prison on Tuesday, is back behind bars.
Residents of the building in the 5900 block of North Ravenswood Avenue reported hearing screams and cries for help during the incident. Upon arrival, police found the mother with multiple stab wounds and Jayden with a chest injury. Jayden was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, with his death ruled a homicide. The mother, reportedly eight months pregnant with a baby girl, is hospitalized.
Neighbors described the female victim as a lovely woman with well-mannered children. They recalled Jayden as a great child who often played with their own children.
The suspect, a 37-year-old man with a history of domestic violence, was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon. He had recently been released from Statesville Correctional Center after serving about seven years. Now, he awaits new charges.
The victim's fiancé expressed frustration, stating concerns about the suspect's release from prison. The family resided in a first-floor unit of Peterson Plaza Apartments. The younger son, aged 5, was unharmed in the attack.