Lawsuit filed after Edgewater stabbing where Jayden Perkins lost his life protecting his mother Laterria Smith from domestic violence.

CHICAGO (WLS) — A new lawsuit was filed Thursday exactly one year after the death of Jayden Perkins.

The 11-year-old boy was tragically killed while bravely trying to protect his pregnant mother, Laterria Smith. The person accused of the crime had recently been released on parole.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Friends of Perkins gathered at his dance school on the North Side to honor him with love and grace, commemorating his life one year after his passing. His death continues to deeply affect his family and friends.

“It’s hard,” Smith said. “He was only 11 years old, just trying to protect his mom.”

In response to the devastating loss, Smith has decided to take legal action by filing a lawsuit, claiming that her son’s death could have been prevented. She is holding the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and other relevant agencies accountable for releasing Crosetti Brand on parole in March.

One day later, Brand allegedly stabbed Perkins to death and wounded Smith during a knife attack at her Edgewater home.

“I’m taking this action because there has to be a change,” Smith said. “I feel like it was pure negligence, like as if they didn’t care at all because they allowed the person free without even contacting me or notifying me.”

RELATED | Laterria Smith breaks silence; dance school scholarship honors son killed defending her from attack

The lawsuit alleges the parole board disregarded “overwhelming evidence” that he posed an immediate danger to Smith, including a “history of domestic violence” and “repeated violations of protective orders.” In fact, Brand had been in prison for a series of alleged parole violations, including showing up at Smith’s door.

“It was incumbent upon the board to at least visit that issue to see is there an active order of protection against him?” Smith’s attorney Paul Otubusin. “Is there any reason why we should not release him? All those investigations were not done.”

After Perkins’ death, two members of the Prisoner Review Board resigned and Governor JB Pritzker appointed a new executive director, but the lawsuit seeks more changes to the system.

“We are hoping that a new director will be implementing some policies that we don’t know of, but those policies have not been publicized for the public to know,” Otubusin said.

At Gus Giordano Dance School, a mural was unveiled in Perkins’ honor, celebrating his talent and the light he brought to others.

“He loved to dance… and I missing doing those things with him,” Smith said.