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 a call reporting an unconscious female at Horan Park, located at Van Buren and Whipple.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the teen lying face down, barefoot, and unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene, but she was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA).
Horrific Injuries and Investigation Details
A preliminary autopsy revealed that Kayla had suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries to her head and neck, along with stab wounds to her face.
Authorities say Kayla was reported missing on March 16, 2025, after she was last seen around 6:00 p.m. with friends at a McDonald’s restaurant near Roosevelt and Kedzie. Reports indicate that employees asked the group to leave around 8:00 p.m. due to disruptive behavior.
Investigators are looking into reports that a female was seen being assaulted by a male at Horan Park that same night. It is unclear at this time whether the incident is directly connected to Kayla’s tragic death.
Ongoing Homicide Investigation
As of now, no suspects are in custody, and Area 4 Detectives are leading the homicide investigation.
Authorities 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.
Second Chicago Public Schools Student Found Dead the Same Day
Kayla, a junior at Manley High School, was one of two Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students found deceased on the same day.
Less than three miles away, officers discovered the body of a 13-year-old boy, who had also been reported missing. He was found behind an apartment building with a gunshot wound to the head.
Authorities are continuing to investigate both deaths, as the Chicago community mourns the tragic loss of two young lives.