A mother and her 9-year-old son were viciously beaten by a mob of children while walking home from school in Chicago. The attack happened Monday afternoon on the Far South Side, just blocks from a Chicago public school, where police say a group of children and teens approached the family.
The mother, Corshawnda Hatter, was walking with her son and her daughter, but her daughter was excluded from the attack, which was caught on a viral video. Hatter attempted to shield her son and herself, but when the children continued to pummel her and her son, they got separated. Following the incident, the pair had to be taken to a nearby hospital in what officials describe as a serious condition.
The pair were treated and released, and the following day, Hatter spoke on the incident, explaining that the issue began with bullying at Orville Bright Elementary School. She said the assault left her not only injured but also carrying a haunting memory. “I can’t sleep because I wake up in the middle of the night with that vision in my head of my son calling my name to help him, and I couldn’t do anything for him,” she said outside the school.
Community members and officials have echoed her concerns. State Sen. Willie Preston called the situation unacceptable, saying no mother should ever feel helpless in her own neighbourhood. Both he and Hatter are pushing for a meeting with school administrators to address what led to the confrontation and how to prevent anything like it from happening again.
Chicago Public Schools responded with a statement emphasising its commitment to safety and expressing horror at what happened. The district said it is working with the Mayor’s Office, police, and other city agencies to support the family while reinforcing efforts to keep school environments calm, open, and responsive to conflicts.
Mayor Brandon Johnson also condemned the violence after seeing video of the incident, calling it “unacceptable” and urging the city not to normalise such behaviour. He said additional resources have been deployed to maintain safety in the area and that community organisations are assisting with safe passage for students.
That same Tuesday, one of the children involved came forward with her mother to apologise. The eighth grader admitted she had been “a follower”, crying as she said she wished she had never taken part. But many viewers online rejected the apology, criticising both the girl and her mother and insisting that consequences are still necessary.
