The 24-year-old man who admitted to throwing a 5-year-old boy from the third-floor balcony at the Mall of America in June was sentenced to 19 years behind bars Monday.
Emmanuel Aranda pleaded guilty last month to one count of attempted premeditated murder after admitting to police that he had gone to the mall “looking for someone to kill” after being rejected by multiple women.
The boy, Landen Hoffman, survived the 39-foot fall but sustained head trauma and multiple broken bones. He is expected to recover, but slowly. ( Read More >> )
Statements from the boy’s parents were read out during proceedings, with Aranda declining to address the court, NBC News reports.
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“Your act was evil and selfish, you chose to listen to the worst parts of yourself that day,” the boy’s father expressed in his statement. “You chose evil over good and chose to take your hate and hurt out on my precious boy. I want you to know that I forgive you, not because what you did was OK, not because I want to, but because God wants me to.”
“I’m not letting you take any part of my family: You’re not taking our love, our joy, our peace. You’re not taking anything … That is where your impact on us stops, you will take nothing more from us.”
In her statement, Landen’s mother also said she forgave Aranda because she believes God expects her to.
“You chose to think about yourself that day, what you were feeling and wanted to do to someone else,” Landen’s mother said in a separate statement read by the prosecutor. “I’m sad you chose anger and hatred.” ( Read More >> )
