An 11-year-old boy was reportedly killed while attempting to defend his mother against an attacker who forced his way into their home.

According to authorities, Jayden Perkins stepped in to protect his pregnant mother from a brutal assault by Crosetti Brand.

Brand, released on parole one day before the attack, was charged with murder and several other charges related to the crime.

“He entered the home of the family and took the life of an innocent 11-year-old boy, the boy’s mother was stabbed multiple times and she had an order of protection against the offender,” said Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling, NBC Chicago reports.

“Her 5-year-old son was also present and witnessed the attack,” Snelling added.

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Collin Rugg writes:

11-year-old boy stabbed to death in Chicago while trying to protect his pregnant mom from her ex-boyfriend who had just been released from jail.

Horrific.

Crosetti Brand, 37, was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Jayden Perkins.

Brand was released on parole after being sentenced to 16 years for a home invasion.

He was “paroled and placed on electronic monitoring last October,” but then sent back after he threatened Smith and showed up at her home.

“While he was on parole, he threatened the female victim via text and also showed up at her home. He was sent back to prison in February for this parole violation,” said Chief of Detectives Antoinette Ursitti.

After being released again, Brand showed up at Smith’s home *the next day* which led to the murder of Jayden Perkins.

Brand was abusive towards Smith all the way back to September 2006 when she broke up with him. He threatened her with a gun and fired it in the hallway.

Jayden Perkins was stabbed in the chest while protecting his mother. His mother Laterria Smith who is 33-weeks pregnant, is in critical condition.

Rest in peace, Jayden. You are a hero.

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NBC Chicago reports:

Snelling said Brand, who “has a history of domestic abuse,” had three orders of protection against him and was recently released from prison for violating an order of protection while on parole from a 16-year sentence for home invasion and aggravated assault. He was in a relationship with the woman roughly 15 years ago, police said.

According to authorities, the 33-year-old mother was about to take her children to school when Brand allegedly forced his way into the home and stabbed her and her 11-year-old son, Jayden Perkins, who stepped in to protect his mother.

Video evidence captured Brand running from the scene with a knife, police said, though Brand’s attorneys noted there is no video evidence of the crime itself.

“This was not just a vicious and violent attack on an 11-year-old boy and his mother, it was an assault on the very fabric of our community, targeting the most vulnerable among us,” Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said. “An innocent child’s life was taken as he tried to protect his mother far too soon and a mother was attacked in what should have been the safest place for her, which was her home.”

Officials criticized the decision to parole Brand.

“My feeling is that he should not have been [paroled],” Snelling said. “Violated parole, he violated an order of protection and it involved the same type of crime that he was paroled for so this is someone who should not have been on the street.”

“The woman was initially transported to an area hospital in critical condition. Officials confirmed Friday she was alert and expected to survive, along with her unborn child. The boy’s younger brother also witnessed the attack, authorities said, but was uninjured physically,” WGN 9 noted.

From WGN 9:

Brand was serving a 16-year sentence in a 2015 case for home invasion, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and aggravated domestic battery involving a different victim, Illinois Department of Corrections and court records show.

He was released from Stateville Prison on mandatory supervised release in October 2023, the IDOC confirmed.

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“At that time he received a memorandum reminding him of the order of protection regarding victim one,” Assistant State’s Attorney Anne McCord Rodgers said.

The woman reportedly dated the suspect more than 15 years prior and had an active Order of Protection against him in place. She registered herself in the IDOC system to receive alerts regarding Brand’s release from prison.

According to the court, the suspect allegedly sent the victim a text message threatening her and her family on Jan. 30. He then went to her home on Feb. 1, two days later, ringing the doorbell multiple times and attempting to pull the handle.

Prosecutors said the victim contacted the parole board and Brand was taken back into custody, only to be released on parole weeks later on March 12, one day before the deadly attack.

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