A 29-year-old man is charged with shooting an 11-year-old Harvey girl in the head last month as she rode home from school in her father's car.
Graylin Waters is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm for the shooting that wounded Willow James.
She's recovering, according to her family's attorney Qwandra Drummer.
"The bullet entered one side of her head and exited the other," she said. "By the grace of God she survived. However, for this young child, survival is only the beginning of a new series of events. What followed has been a never-ending nightmare."
That, from a statement written by Willow's mother.
Police said surveillance video and a license-plate-reading camera led them to the suspect in the shooting that occurred on May 28th.
It has taken time to build a case and to get to the felony charge.
Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark stood with the family outside the courthouse in Markham.
"An arrest is not the end of this story," Clark said. "True justice is more than just a court date, and it's healing for Willow and her family."
Clark added, "No child should ever have to even think about something like that and no parent should ever have to watch their child fight to heal from something so preventable."
Willow is now in rehab. The family's attorney says she's improving every day.
Police will not say who they believe Waters was allegedly shooting at when the girl was wounded.
They say a gun was recovered from his vehicle that is believed to have been used in the shooting.
It occurred in a school zone.
The girl's mother, Chevlyn Nicholson, said she's going to work on getting legislation passed that would enhance penalties for firearm incidents in school zones.
