A pregnant mother suffering from an autoimmune disease and her young son were left in a critical condition after a vicious assault by a gang of school-aged children in Chicago.
A Horrific Assault Captured on Video
The incident occurred on Monday as Carshawnda Hatter, 33, was walking home with her two children from Orville Bright Elementary School. Disturbing footage shows a mob of children following the family, screaming profanities and insults at them. The attackers were heard encouraging each other to 'smack' and beat the pregnant mother.
The situation escalated rapidly as the rowdy group cornered Ms Hatter and her nine-year-old son against a chain-link fence. In a heartbreaking attempt to protect his mother, the little boy was seen hugging her as the gang began pummelling her. The video evidence shows the mob beating the pregnant woman in the face as she tried to shield her child.
Victims Hospitalised in Critical Condition
The attackers forced both victims to the ground, with one child in a yellow sweatshirt kicking Ms Hatter directly in the face. The gang swarmed the helpless pair, even separating the boy from his mother and slamming him to the ground again. In a further act of humiliation, one of the assailants violently ripped the mother's wig off before punching her.
Following the brutal assault, both Ms Hatter and her son were rushed to Trinity Hospital in critical condition. From her hospital bed, Ms Hatter filmed a livestream, panning the camera to her exhausted son who bore a red mark on his face from the attack, and to her young daughter who had witnessed the entire ordeal. The mother assured viewers that her children were physically fine, stating, 'It's me, I'm the one who had to be in the hospital.'
Ms Hatter, who is pregnant, also revealed she has been 'sick' and is being treated for sickle cell anemia, an autoimmune disease.
Community Outcry and Demand for Justice
On Tuesday, the mother and her family, escorted by police and followed by a sea of supporters, walked to a meeting with school administrators about the attack. Ms Hatter explained to local media that the gang had been lying in wait to 'jump' them. 'I asked my kids to come to the next side of the street with me, so they wouldn’t get jumped,' she said. She added that the attackers 'followed them all the way' home, first assaulting her son before she was 'dragged' in the grass.
The mother disclosed that her son had been bullied for more than two years and claimed the school had failed to protect him. 'I’m trying to get justice for my son,' she stated. Dozens of supporters gathered outside the elementary school, chanting 'no justice, no peace' and demanding that the children involved be punished or expelled.
Authorities have stated that the cause of the attack is unknown, and no arrests have been made. In response, Chicago Public Schools issued a statement expressing their 'horror' over the incident, confirming they are working with city departments to support the victims. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also condemned the 'senseless violence,' confirming that additional resources have been deployed to maintain public safety as the investigation continues.
