Mother of Boy, 11, Who Died Protecting Her from Knife Attack Says She Has Nightmares

The mother of an 11-year-old boy who died protecting her from a knife attack appeared in court for the killer’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Jayden Perkins was fatally stabbed in March 24 as he tried to protect his pregnant mother, Laterria Smith.

At the time, police said Crosetti Brand, who had once been in a relationship with Smith a more than a decade prior, had broken into the family’s Chicago home as the children were getting ready for school, WGN reported.

ABC 7 reported that Perkins died from a stab wound to the chest, while Smith, who was pregnant at the time, survived being stabbed 15 times. Jayden’s 5-year-old brother witnessed the entire attack, the outlet reported.

NBC 5, ABC 7 and the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Brand was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murder in June.

Smith, NBC 5 reported, spoke at Brand’s sentencing hearing, saying she still has nightmares from the attack.

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“You have taken away one of the greatest gifts God has blessed me with,” said Smith, according to NBC 5. “I am broken without my son.”

One day before the stabbing, Brand had been released on parole after he was convicted of aggravated assault and home invasion, Chicago police said at the time. Smith had a restraining order active against Brand.

Her 5-year-old son was also present and witnessed this attack,” said Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling at the time, per WGN. “We have to imagine what that 5-year-old is going to have to deal with the rest of his life after witnessing something so brutal.”