Man Convicted of Throwing Child Three Stories Off Balcony at Mall of America Files Appeal

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Sep 5, 2019

Emmanuel D. Aranda, the 25-year-old African American who was convicted of attempted first-degree murder after throwing a child three stories off of a balcony at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN, is appealing his conviction.

Aranda was sentenced to only 19 years in prison in June after pleading guilty to the charge of attempted first-degree murder for the attack against a five-year-old boy that occurred on April 12. He now hopes to get that ruling overturned.

While he was sentenced, Aranda offered no apology and showed no remorse for his actions. Law enforcement claimed that he arrived at the mall “looking for someone to kill,” showing premeditated intent to commit the ghastly act for which he was convicted in a court of law.

According to a complaint, the boy’s mother claims that “without warning, Defendant picked up the Victim and threw him off the third floor balcony,”

Becky Aranda, Emmanuel’s mother, claims that her son has suffered from severe mental health problems since he was a young child. She believes that his mental health was not sufficiently addressed during the trial, which is a possible reason for the appeal.

Meanwhile, the five-year-old victim’s condition has stabilized after suffering many health complications following the attack, and he has returned home.

“We are, however, pleased to share that our son completed his inpatient rehabilitation and is now home,” the family said in a statement. “We are so thankful, and we rejoice in the Lord’s blessings to our family.”

The five-year-old boy, named Landen, suffered from massive head trauma and serious fractures in his arms and legs as the result of the assault.

“We continue to ask that [God’s] healing powers guide us and our son’s care team as we enter the next phase of recovery, which includes continued outpatient rehabilitation for multiple injuries and adjusting to life back at home and school,” the family said.

Mac Hammond, the pastor for the family, noted that there was “zero evidence of brain damage…there wasn’t even swelling in the brain” within Landen following the attacks. He calls the boy’s recovery a miracle, considering how the plunge could have easily killed him.

While authorities claim Aranda committed his attack because girls at the mall refused to talk to him, there may have be a more sinister, racial component at play behind this attack – as the Democratic Party and fake news media foment constant hatred against white people.

Other shocking instances have taken place in recent months, as a startling trend of racially-motivated violence begins to emerge:

Assistant Public Defender Amy Lawler is representing Aranda as he files his appeal to overturn his conviction, and has yet to comment publicly on the case.