Addison girl stabbed to death in Chicago

Nine-year-old Mya Lyons lived with her mother in Addison, but the honor roll student who loved math and reading often spent much of her summers in Chicago with her father.

In fact, Ericka Barnes planned to retrieve her pint-size daughter Monday and bring her home, but Mya begged to stay just a bit longer. The decision proved fatal.

Police said the child's father, Richard Lyons, found Mya's body late Monday in an alley near his South Side home on the 8400 block of South Gilbert Court.

Desperate for answers, the family took part late Tuesday afternoon in an anti-violence rally with local politicians and community activists in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood where police said Mya was brutally stabbed.

Neighbors brought flowers and balloons to the grieving family and had raised nearly $5,000 by afternoon to contribute toward a reward to find Mya's killer. Earlier in the day, at a news conference about city crime, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley also spoke of Mya's tragic death. He pledged a fierce police investigation and prosecution.

"Let's get this individual, put him in jail the rest of his life or give him the death penalty," the mayor said.

Mya was a third grader at G. Stanley Hall in Glendale Heights. Principal Samia Hefferan could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

Neighbor Nakia Akins told ABC Channel 7 that Mya and her 13-year-old brother played video games at her house Monday afternoon, then left together to go to their nearby home. Neighbors last reported seeing her about 9:30 p.m. Police said Richard Lyons returned home shortly later and discovered that his daughter was not in her bed. Neighbors joined the family in the short search. At about 11 p.m., when the father looked in the nearby alley, authorities said he found Mya and rushed her to Jackson Park Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

"She's a very sweet little girl," neighbor Constance Morgan said. "She never did anything to anybody."

Police said they did not have a suspect in custody Tuesday. Earlier in the day, about 50 police recruits helped forensic investigators search for evidence throughout the neighborhoods. Authorities also brought in canine dogs.

An autopsy conducted Tuesday at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office revealed Mya died of multiple injuries, including stab wounds, officials said. Her death was ruled a homicide. Police declined to confirm some published reports that Mya had been sexually assaulted.

Richard Lyons said he voluntarily answered police questions. Authorities said he is not a suspect. He spoke to reporters outside his home Tuesday and urged anyone with information about his daughter's violent death to please come forward.

"I found out you never know when the end is coming," ABC Channel 7 reported. "So, if you have a child, love that child; give that child all you can because tomorrow - as I found out, is not promised."

Daily Herald wire services contributed to this report.