Brawl erupts between families at bond hearing in teen's fatal stabbing

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A brawl erupted between families moments after an emotional court hearing at 26th and California for a mother charged with providing the switchblade her 13-year-old daughter allegedly used to kill 15-year-old Dekayla Dansberry.

Tamika Gayden, 35, charged with first-degree murder, is being held without bail after Gayden and her daughter were accused of killing a 15-year-old girl.

Police say Gayden gave a knife to her 13-year-old daughter, who then stabbed DeKayla Dansberry during a fight last Saturday.

The judge denied Gayden's bail Wednesday.

Prosecutors say Gayden told her daughter to confront her rival, Dekayla. Prosecutors say the 13-year-old lunged at Dekayla with the switchblade even though they weren't directly fighting. The younger girl then ran back to her apartment, where she washed the knife and another witness allegedly wrapped the blade in tape.

In court, Gayden appeared to hold back tears. Dekayla's mother saw that but was too distraught to speak. She left court later with victims' advocate Andrew Holmes and family members after a fight erupted outside. Sheriff's deputies made no arrests.

"Two little girls are having a dispute, and one is given a knife by her mother and basically encouraged to kill another little girl," the judge said. "I find that despicable and unconscionable," Judge James Brown said.

The judge says Chicago's 235 murders in 139 days is "unprecedented violence" and "insane."

The 13-year-old appeared in juvenile court Tuesday. Police say the dispute may have been over a boy and may have started on social media.

Prosecutors say a witness told them the teen suspect was seen washing blood off the knife and allegedly said, "I killed her, I killed her."

"It's sort of like children, kids stuff. It shouldn't have escalated to where someone was stabbed," said DeKayla's father, Julian Glanton.

Two people taken into custody over the Saturday evening were released without charges.

Dansberry was a freshman track star and cheerleader at Johnson College Prep, her family said.

Police said the girl was stabbed in the chest around 7:30 p.m. at the Parkway Gardens Homes near West

+ 64th and South King Drive in the West Woodlawn neighborhood.

She was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, where she later died.

Family and friends held a vigil Sunday for DeKayla. For the last six years, she spent Friday nights at teen worship at New Beginnings Church.

On Sunday, her family and friends came together in her memory.

"A lot of times what happens when we go through this situation with young people, they need an opportunity to grieve, an opportunity to express themselves, so we want to do that in peaceful type of way," said Pastor Corey Brooks. "You have teenagers who are getting into arguments or disputes for various reasons, and sometimes the arguments and disputes get out of hand."

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.