11-year-old Chicago boy killed while trying to protect mother during home invasion

CHICAGO (TND) — An 11-year-old Chicago boy died in a stabbing last week while trying to protect his mother during a home invasion, according to authorities.

Jayden Perkins died after Crosetti Brand, 37, allegedly entered the home and attacked the boy and his mother, who a fundraising page identified as Laterria Smith.

“This was not just a vicious and violent attack on an 11-year-old boy and his mother,” Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx noted. “It was an assault on the very fabric of our community targeting the most vulnerable among us.”

Perkins was preparing for school when Brand entered the house, according to Alderman Andre Vasquez. The boy's mother suffered several stab wounds but survived the alleged attack.

“This mom’s life is now forever changed,” Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling remarked during a press conference. “Along with being brutally attacked, stabbed multiple times, dealing with that trauma, she has to face the fact that she will never see, touch or hug her 11-year-old son. She’s lost him forever.”

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Smith’s 5-year-old son also allegedly witnessed the offense, which Snelling suggested will cause lifelong trauma.

“We have to imagine what that 5-year-old is going to have to deal with for the rest of his life after witnessing something so brutal,” he said. “When we talk about trauma, just imagine the level of trauma that this five-year-old is suffering.”

Brand was paroled the previous day for a 16-year sentence for aggravated assault and home invasion, his second time receiving early release, according to a press conference given by authorities. Authorities said he violated his first parole after threatening Smith and visiting her home. Brand has allegedly also received convictions for several felonies, violated three protection orders and has a history of domestic abuse.

He allegedly had a relationship with Smith 15 years ago, which Snelling argued factored into her years-long suffering.

“I think this incident highlights the importance of staying on top of domestic violence issues. This highlights the suffering that this woman has been dealing with for years, and it couldn’t have ended in a worse tragedy,” the superintendent stated. “Luckily she’s still here, but look at the trauma that she’s going to have to live with for the rest of her days."

Snelling criticized the public’s lack of anger toward the offense in light of other concerns brought forward.

“Where is the outrage? There are a lot of things that people have shown outrage for in this city, but an 11-year-old boy lost his life brutally, a woman stabbed brutally in a domestic attack,” he said. “Where is the outrage for this family?"

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