Teenage Girl Was Stabbed To Death Trying To Break Up Fight That Started On Facebook, Mom Says
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A high school sophomore was stabbed to death in Englewood this week, while her mother said she was trying to break up a fight.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, we have learned it all started on social media.
On Thursday night, Area One detectives interviewed family members many who witnessed the attack Wednesday night. It is believed police have an idea who is behind the stabbing, but there were no arrests Thursday night.
It was a deadly outcome to what started with a disagreement on Facebook.
Erica Blackhawk, 15, was a young and vivacious teenager, said her mother, Natasha Jenkins.
"She's always smiling - a very good person," Jenkins said.
Yet Wednesday night, as Erica visited family in Englewood, her mother said trouble pulled up on the block at 74th Street and Parnell Avenue.
"Erica was not fighting," Jenkins said. "She was trying to break up the fight."
It was a fight that Jenkins said started a few weeks back on Facebook, and whatever words were written online prompted a group to come to the house.
"They came in cars - several cars," Jenkins said.
We are told up to five young ladies jumped out of those cars. They began fighting family members.
"Erica wasn't the only person stabbed," Jenkins said. "It escalated pretty quick."
Yet, the Hyde Park Academy High School sophomore was the one seriously injured – stabbed in the chest and abdomen.
"I believe it was premeditated," Jenkins said, "because the first time, it was at another family member's house and I was there, so they didn't too much."
But this time, Jenkins was out of town. Moments after driving to Mississippi, the family called to tell her to rush back to Chicago. But mom did not arrive in time.
Erica was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
"What hurt me the most is my baby's last words – 'I think I'm about to die,'" Jenkins said.
As the mother grieves, she wants other teens to realize social media beef isn't worth it. She reminded youngsters to do one thing.
"Don't respond to it. Don't even entertain it," Jenkins said, "because when you say something back, it adds fuel to the fire."
Erica's cousin, who is also 15, girl was stabbed under the eye in the Wednesday night attack and was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good condition, police said. She was out of the hospital late Thursday.
A 38-year-old woman was struck in the bottle by someone at the scene and was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in fair condition, police said.
Chicago Police late Thursday were likely looking through the many online posts that preceded the fight, but no one was in custody late Thursday. Meanwhile, Erica's family has the daunting task of planning her funeral.