THE mystery of a toddler found covered in blood has been solved after it was tragically revealed that both his parents were killed in the Highland Park massacre.
Two-year-old Aiden was found underneath his father, Kevin McCarthy, 37, who died alongside his wife Irina, 35, and five others in the July 4 mass shooting, officials confirmed.
The child was separated from his parents after another couple reportedly rescued him during the chaos.
Lauren Silva, 38, said she and her boyfriend ran out of a parking garage after they heard gunshots during the Independence Day parade.
The two had just eaten breakfast when the sound stopped them in their tracks.
"We were just opening the door to walk up the stairs and we heard it… boom, boom, boom, boom, boom," Silva told The Daily Beast.
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"And it sounded like someone was, like, pounding on the glass door."
Silva and her boyfriend were near suspected killer Robert E Crimo when he allegedly opened fire on a rooftop, killing at least seven and injuring over 25.
"I didn't hear one scream at all, it was eerie quiet," Silva said.
She and her boyfriend responded to the violence and ran to assist the victims.
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"My boyfriend handed me this little boy and said he was underneath this father who was shot in the leg," Silva told the Beast.
"They were trying to stop the bleeding so I brought the boy downstairs into the garage."
Silva ran to the basement of the garage with another family to care for the missing child, who was later named as Aiden.
"He kept asking if mom and dad are going to come back soon," Silva said.
They stayed in the garage for what felt like 20 minutes before the two reconnected with her boyfriend, Silva said.
The child was reunited with his grandparents after another couple brought him to the fire department, CBS News reported.
Dana and Greg Ring said they grabbed the uninjured child before attempting to search for his parents.
"And I saw the scene," Greg said.
"Carnage," said Dana.
They made the decision to bring him to the fire department where a Highland Police detective brought Aiden to his grandparents.
A GoFundMe has been started to raise funds for the orphan.
"On behalf of his family, and with their permission, I am establishing this fundraiser to support him and the caregivers who will be tasted with raising, caring for, and supporting (the child) as he and his support system embark on this unexpected journey," the organizer wrote.
Robert E Crimo was arrested eight hours after the shooting.
Officials believe he used an AR-15-style weapon from a rooftop during the July 4 parade.
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Crimo now faces seven charges of first-degree murder, Illinois state attorney Eric Rinehart said.
Rinehart said he anticipates more charges when Crimo appears before a judge.
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