The Chicago mother who was brutally attacked by a large group of children shared that she plans to press charges against the parents of the kids who assaulted her and her son.
Corshawnda Hatter and her 9-year-old son were hospitalized with serious injuries after several children beat them on a sidewalk near an elementary school as Hatter’s 6-year-old daughter was forced to look on and watch.
“I felt helpless, because I was down on the ground, and he was down on the ground, and he’s looking at me, screaming, like, ‘Mommy, please help me. Help me.’ I couldn’t get up myself. I couldn’t do nothing,” the 33-year-old mother told CBS News.
Cellphone footage of the attack went viral and sparked outrage among members of the community where the assault took place.
As news of the incident spread online and triggered national headlines, many people stepped up to support the victims and advocate for criminal charges.
A large rally was held outside Orville Bright Elementary School, where Hatter spoke to school administrators about the bullying her son has suffered for the past two years. She’s made several complaints to the school before, but leadership did nothing to stop the harassment.
She said her son’s peers have constantly taunted him about the way she speaks and walks due to her sickle cell disease. In the video, one boy is seen ridiculing Hatter’s gait and her ankles.
Hatter says her children are “devastated” by what happened and that she plans to pursue charges against the parents of the children who attacked her. Her kids have already been transferred to another school, and she plans to schedule therapy sessions for them.
She also launched a GoFundMe fundraiser that has raised more than $25,000 since Nov. 19.
She recounted what happened leading up to the attack — that she was walking her children to the store when more than a dozen kids ranging from fifth graders to eighth graders started following them and making fun of her son.
“Before I could even react, they started attacking us – hitting me and my son over and over. I tried to shield him, but there were too many of them, and all I could think about was getting him out of there safely,” Hatter wrote on the page.
She continued: “Both of us were rushed to the hospital afterward, and they told us we were in serious condition. What hurts even more is knowing this all started from bullying my son has been dealing with at school. I never imagined it would escalate to something like this, and as a mother, it’s terrifying to see your child harmed like that. I just want him to feel safe going to school and walking in his own neighborhood. Please send whatever is on your heart.”
Hatter and her family have since been moved to an undisclosed location thanks to community support.
A Chicago Public Schools spokesperson said the district is “horrified by the attack” and is working with city agencies to provide support to Hatter’s family.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also released a statement that he was “deeply disturbed” by the video and that the city has “also activated support from community-based organizations that focus on youth services and violence prevention to provide safe passage for students and families at this school.”
