Crime
16-Year-Old Girl Found Beaten to Death in Chicago Horan Park Identified as Kayla Aaliyah Joyce Love
CHICAGO, IL – Authorities have identified the teenage girl found brutally beaten to death at a West Side park as 16-year-old Kayla Aaliyah Joyce Love, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
On March 17, 2025, Chicago Police responded to Horan Park, located at Van Buren and Whipple, after receiving reports of an unconscious female.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the teen lying face down, barefoot, and unresponsive.
Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene, but she was tragically pronounced dead on arrival (DOA).
A preliminary autopsy revealed that Kayla had suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries to her head and neck, as well as stab wounds to her face.
According to police, Kayla was reported missing on March 16, 2025, after last being seen around 6:00 p.m. at a McDonald’s restaurant near Roosevelt and Kedzie with friends.
Employees at the establishment reportedly asked the group to leave around 8:00 p.m. due to disruptive behavior.
Authorities are investigating reports that a female was seen being assaulted by a male at Horan Park on the same night Kayla was reported missing.
It remains unclear whether this incident is connected to her death.
No suspects are currently in custody, and Area 4 Detectives are leading the homicide investigation.
Law enforcement officials are urging anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously at CPDTIP.COM or by contacting the Chicago Police Department’s 11th District at (312) 746-8386.
Kayla, a junior at Manley High School, is the second Chicago Public Schools (CPS) student found deceased on the same day.
Less than three miles away, officers discovered the body of a 13-year-old boy—also reported missing—with a gunshot wound to the head, behind an apartment building.
Authorities continue to investigate both deaths as the community mourns the tragic loss of two young lives.
NEWTON COUNTY, GA – Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred Wednesday afternoon at Denny Dobbs Park.
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) confirmed that an 18-year-old male, identified as Justin, succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained during the incident.
The shooting took place between approximately 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. at the park, which was a gathering location for students participating in Senior Skip Day.
Reports indicate that students from two Rockdale County schools and one Newton County school had initially met at a park in Rockdale before relocating to Denny Dobbs Park.
It is unclear at this time whether the victim was a student.
The NCSO has not yet identified any suspects or determined a motive for the shooting. The case is now being treated as a homicide.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing first responders assisting potential victims, but the full scope of the incident remains under investigation.
As a precautionary measure, nearby Oak Hill Elementary School was placed on lockdown following the shooting.
The lockdown was lifted later in the evening, and students in the after-school academic program were dismissed at 6:00 p.m.
Authorities have assured the public that this was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
The investigation remains active, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.