5-year-old Boy Thrown From A Mall Balcony

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 24, is the prime suspect in throwing a 5-year-old boy from a third-floor balcony at the country's largest shopping mall in Minnesota. The act apparently happened without any reason or relationship between the two and now the minor is torn between life and death.

The creepy episode occurred at 10:17 am this Friday when the minor, named Landen A., was visiting Mall of America with his mother. Suddenly, the suspect in question pushed him off a balcony located on the third floor of the mall, causing the boy to fall from a height of 400 feet.

The boy's body was laid out in front of several shops and when it was removed a pool of blood remained in its place. The boy was rushed to the Minneapolis Children's Hospital where until this Monday he was struggling to survive.

“[His mom] was screaming 'Everyone pray, everyone pray. Oh my god, my baby, someone threw him off the shore! '” Brian Johnson, a witness to the events, revealed to the local WCCO station.

According to local police, the boy and the suspect did not know each other or had any relationship. "[We] are actively trying to determine what happened," said Jeff Potts, chief of the Bloomington Police Department, in statements collected by the Pioneer Press. "We believe this is an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the public," the statement said in a police statement.

Apparently Deshawn Aranda had mental and emotional control problems and in the past had numerous friction with the law in the same shopping center. In 2015 alone, he was arrested twice in separate incidents. Later, in July of that same year, he was arrested again for throwing a glass and tea at a woman in a cafeteria because he did not want to buy her food.

"This twists your insides, I can't believe this has happened," an uncle of the suspect told WCCO. "I have no words to express myself," he exclaimed, assuring that his nephew has suffered from his mental faculties "for a long, long time."

"We are praying for that mom because we cannot imagine what she will be suffering," said the relative. Little Landen's family set up a campaign for him on GoFundMe with a goal of $ 500,000 to cover his expenses.

"The family expects privacy during these difficult times and we definitely welcome the good thoughts and prayers at this point," a relative of the minor told People.

Custody of Aranda was expected to be transferred to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office this Saturday.