CHICAGO — The family of a 12-year-old boy shot and killed by his mother inside a South Chicago home over the weekend are heartbroken but hope the incident shines a light on mental health.
At around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a home in the 8000 block of South Bennett Avenue on the report of a shooting.
Kayden Ingram, 12, was shot by his mother, later identified as Fallon Harris, 37, over a missing digital memory card, prosecutors allege. The boy later died at the hospital.
Harris has been charged with first-degree murder.
Family members said Harris was suffering from paranoia. Harris’ mother said they started noticing changes in her behavior over the last six to eight months, but never thought Ingram was in danger.
“That was Fallon’s body that committed that horrible act,” Mia Harris said. “But it wasn’t Fallon’s mind or her heart that did it.”
Ingram’s father hopes the shooting can shed light on the importance of mental health.
“She needs help and people need to understand mental illness is real,” Lavell Ingram said.
Harris is being held without bond on murder charges.