In the early hours of a Wednesday morning in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, tragedy struck, resulting in the death of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins and critical injuries to his pregnant mother.
Crosetti Brand, 37, faces charges including first-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with this devastating incident.
The ordeal began when Brand, also known as “CO,” violently attacked the pregnant mother. NBC Chicago reported that Brand forcefully entered the home while the 33-year-old woman was on a call with her mother.
According to court records, the victim’s mother overheard her daughter’s screams of “No CO” before the call abruptly ended. In a heartbreaking attempt to defend his mother, young Jayden intervened, only to tragically lose his life in the process, fatally stabbed by Brand.
Amidst the chaos, the youngest child, a 6-year-old boy, was found unharmed but witnessed the horrifying incident. Neighbors, alerted by the screams, quickly intervened. After receiving no response at the door, one neighbor’s mother entered the apartment, discovering the severity of the situation and promptly calling 911.
Upon arrival, first responders found Jayden’s mother at the front door, covered in blood and suffering from severe injuries, including a life-threatening wound to her neck. Both victims were rushed to Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where Jayden tragically succumbed to his injuries, while his mother received treatment for critical wounds.
Remembered as a bright student at the Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies, Jayden was known for his academic achievements and his compassionate nature. Paying tribute to their late student in a Facebook post, the school described him as “the student who stood up for everyone.”
In response to the tragedy, the Peirce Elementary School Community and the Gus Giordano Dance School established a support fund, raising over $26,000 to aid the grieving family, with a goal of reaching $50,000.
Brand’s criminal history reveals a troubling pattern of escalating violence, raising questions about the effectiveness of the justice system in protecting victims. Despite previous incidents of domestic violence and parole violations, Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center just days before the fatal attack, CBS News detailed.
In fact, despite multiple protective orders against him since 2004, including recent threats to the victim’s safety, Brand’s release occurred without adequate scrutiny or intervention.
State Attorney Kim Foxx has called for a thorough review to address these oversights, saying via USA Today: “An innocent child’s life was taken as he tried to protect his mother. And a mother was attacked in what should have been the safest place for her, her home.”
Mayor Johnson echoed these sentiments, adding per CBS News: “This despicable crime is a horrific reminder of the need for us to correct systemic failures, address the root causes of violence in our community, and continue to support our domestic violence and gender-based violence survivors, their families and communities, and the providers and advocates who do this work daily.”