In a shocking turn of events on Chicago’s Far South Side, 33-year-old Carshawnda Hatter says she and her 9-year-old son were viciously beaten by a group of middle-school students while walking home from school. The disturbing incident — caught on video — has ignited outrage across the city, with many demanding immediate accountability and justice.
According to NBC Chicago, the attack occurred just after 3 p.m. Monday, on the 10600 block of South Bensley Avenue, mere blocks from Orville Bright Elementary School. Hatter told reporters she can’t sleep at night, replaying the moment she heard her son calling for help — unable to protect him.
Video of the incident, which has gone viral, shows a large group of children walking beside Hatter and her son before chaos erupts. Witnesses describe the kids hurling insults, then launching into physical violence — punching, stomping, even dragging her into the grass. Hatter later said they “were literally waiting … along the way we walk home, just to jump all of us.”
The mother also shared that her son has faced ongoing bullying at Orville Bright Elementary, a factor she believes contributed to this terrifying escalation. After the assault, both she and her son were rushed to Trinity Hospital, and their condition was initially reported as serious.
State Senator Willie Preston has stood with Hatter, calling the attack “horrible” and urging that not only the children but their parents be held accountable. In response, Chicago Public Schools issued a statement: they are coordinating with city agencies to support the family, and emphasized a commitment to preventing such violence — explicitly referencing the Student Code of Conduct and mental health resources for students.
Mayor Brandon Johnson also weighed in, calling the attack “unacceptable” and promising a deeper response: more resources, better supervision, and serious consequences if the students are identified.
For many in the community, this is about more than just one incident. Neighbors and parents have rallied around Hatter, demanding that the children involved face consequences, and that their parents be made to take responsibility. “If my kids were causing trouble, I’d be out here addressing it,” one parent said.
As the investigation continues, the story has reverberated on social media, with calls for justice growing louder and more insistent — a painful reminder that we still have a long way to go in protecting families on their way home.
