Chicago mom charged in first-degree stabbing murder of her five-year-old daughter

It’s horrific and unfathomable and to date, police in Chicago have no explanation for why a 27-year-old mother stabbed her five-year-old daughter to death on Chicago’s West Side on Saturday.  But the mom, Simone Austin, has been charged with the first-degree murder of her daughter, Serenity Arrington.  The unexplained stabbing went down in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood.

Austin allegedly stabbed Serenity Arrington in the throat about 9:15 a.m. in the 3200 block of West Fulton Boulevard, police said. She then approached officers at the scene, police said, before being taken into custody. ~ Chicago Sun Times

Austin’s neighbors told Fox News that the child had just moved onto their block this summer, “but in a short amount of time she made a big impression with her friendly smile.”  Neighbors also said that the stabbing murder seemed out of character for the child’s mother.

On that fateful Saturday morning, Chicago police responded to a call and arrived at the home of the little girl’s grandfather in the 3200 block of West Fulton Boulevard.  The stabbing occurred inside the grandfather’s house.  When police arrived on the scene, they found Serenity, “with multiple stab wounds on her body, including her throat,” according to WJBF.

Serenity was rushed to nearby Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Following an autopsy, her death was ruled a homicide. 

Police were not strangers to this residence as they said they had been called there in the past.

“There were prior calls to the address. We just don’t know at this time why … what happened today. But there were multiple calls,” said Chicago police officer Jose Jara. ~ WJBF

Simone Austin is scheduled to be in court today for a bond hearing.

~  Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter