Lil Zay Osama, Ceasefire make Christmas 2025 brighter for Corshawnda Hatter, kids attacked near Chicago's Bright Elementary School
Corshawnda Hatter says she doesn't know how she'll ever fully recover from being attacked, but receiving gifts for her kids and a $650 check from Ceasefire on Tuesday, she says, has made this Christmas just a little bit brighter.
"This the only family I have. It makes it real brighter. I love all of this, knowing that I have people behind my back supporting me," Hatter said.
Tuesday was a light in what's been a dark few weeks. Hatter and her two kids, 10-year-old Devonlee and 6-year-old Devonye, were surprised by a plethora of holiday gifts from an Xbox, to baby dolls, to clothes at Ceasefire headquarters in Calumet Park.
It came after the three were attacked by seven Bright Elementary School students while on their way home.
Video shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook shows the attack.
You can see Hatter being punched and eventually falling to the ground, where the assault turns even more violent.
SEE ALSO | Mother speaks out after violent beating near South Side CPS school caught on video: 'So much pain'
ABC7 froze the video because it becomes too graphic after that point. We also blurred the faces of the people involved because they are minors.
Their story made national headlines and caught the attention of local rapper Lil Zay Osama, who donated all of the toys. Hatter says it has put them one step closer to healing as she tries to deal with the permanent damage left behind after getting punched in her stomach.
"I can no longer have children," Hatter said. "That made me tear up a little bit, knowing that it's more people out here that care for us, and there's people down here that will help you."
"Nobody, kids, no parents, nobody at all. That ain't parents don't deserve that type of treatment at all. So, you know, I just wanted to reach out and let them know, like the city behind them, like we with that stop the violence movement and like everything that happened to them wasn't right," Lil Zay said.
Lil Zay plans to continue his support of the family even past Tuesday. Meanwhile, as of last Friday, seven of the kids involved in the attack were charged , released from custody, and referred to counseling. Hatter says the kids should have more time in juvenile detention.
