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Driver Released Without Charges After 9-Year-Old Is Fatally Struck Near Chicago School

Police say the woman who was arrested was let go pending the Major Accidents Unit’s review.

Overview

  • The boy, identified by the Cook County medical examiner as Anakin Perez, 9, was struck around 7:41 a.m. in the 4800 block of West Walton Street and died at Stroger Hospital.
  • Chicago police reported no other injuries, and the collision occurred near Ronald E. McNair Elementary School in the Austin neighborhood.
  • CPD said the driver was taken into custody after the incident and later released without charges as the investigation continues.
  • Family members and witnesses said Perez was crossing toward the school entrance when a westbound car hit him, with some describing high speed and that the driver left before returning; police said it was not immediately clear if she knew she had struck the child.
  • School leaders confirmed he was a fourth-grade student, and Chicago Public Schools deployed crisis counselors to support students and staff.