A 2-year-old child, Aiden, was found wandering alone after the death of his parents at the Fourth of July parade massacre in Highland Park. Aiden’s parents, Irina McCarthy, 35, and Kevin McCarthy, 37, were shot dead after a gunman on a rooftop opened fire on spectators at the parade in the Chicago suburb.
According to officials, the toddler was separated from his parent amidst the chaos of the shooting and was returned to his grandparents later.
The child’s image showing him wandering at the shooting site went viral and was circulated on social media before he was reunited with his family.
Dana and Greg Ring told CBS they found the toddler with a stranger, who was “physically shaking, her whole body”.
“We took the little boy. I put him in my arms,” Greg Ring said. He described the scene of the attack as “carnage”.
The child appeared in shock and apparently told his grandparents that “mommy and daddy are coming soon,” according to reports.
A GoFundMe page has been created to raise money for Aiden, with the account raising almost $2 million (£1.67 million) in little more than 12 hours.
“Aiden will be cared for by his loving family and he will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan. He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows,” said the fundraiser page.
The suspect, 21-year-old Robert Crimo, was arrested on Monday several hours after the attack. He has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, officials said.
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