Man charged with stabbing 11-year-old Jayden Perkins to death pleads not guilty

Andy Koval
·2 min read
2

CHICAGO — The man charged in the murder of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins pleaded not guilty on Monday morning.

Crosetti Brand, 37, is facing several charges, including first-degree murder, after he was taken into custody last month.

Brand told the judge he does not want to be represented by an attorney and entered a not guilty plea to the 17 counts against him in court Monday morning.

Officers responded to the home Perkins shared with his mother on the morning of March 13 in the 5900 block of North Ravenswood Avenue. Police believe Brand forced his way into the home and began stabbing Perkins’ mother.

Perkins then tried to defend his mother, who was four months pregnant, from the attack and was stabbed himself. His mother survived and Perkins succumbed to his injuries.

The mother reportedly dated Brand more than 15 years prior and had an active order of protection against Brand in place.

According to the court records, Brand allegedly sent the mother a text message threatening her and her family on Jan. 30. He then went to her home on Feb. 1, two days later, ringing the doorbell multiple times and attempting to pull the handle, according to court documents.

Brand was back into custody after the mother contacted the parole board, but was released again the day before the alleged murder, according to prosecutors.

Previous: Man charged with murder of 11-year-old; boy defended mother

According to a request for an Emergency Order of Protection filed on Feb. 21, the mother wrote that Brand “sent me several text messages saying he would kill me and my family. He would wait outside my house and shoot me. I have pics.”

Two Illinois prisoner board members resigned as a result of the murder.

Perkins was in sixth grade at Peirce School of International Studies.

He loved to dance and perform. The 11-year-old starred in school productions and was the narrator in last year’s Dr. Seuss play. This year, he was scheduled to be Nemo in “Finding Nemo.”

Brand’s next court date is scheduled for April 29.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.

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