Posted on September 5, 2019

5-Year-Old Boy Thrown off Mall of America Balcony by Stranger Returns Home After Five Months in Hospital

Namrata Tripathi, Meaww, September 4, 2019

A five-year-old boy, who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America in Minnesota, has reportedly returned home after five months of recovery. The boy, identified as Landen Hoffman of Woodbury, was discharged from hospital after completing inpatient treatment for the near 40ft fall five months ago.

Hoffman suffered extensive injuries, including a broken leg, and fractures to his face and skull, after 24-year-old Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda attacked the boy at the mall randomly. {snip}

Meanwhile, Aranda was sentenced to 19 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in June this year to attempted premeditated murder. Aranda, at the time of the arrest, reportedly told police that he was “looking for someone to kill” after he had been rejected by women at the mall for years.

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Hoffman’s family members reportedly called for Aranda to face maximum sentence during his court appearances. However, after his sentencing, they later said that they had forgiven him. Hoffman’s mother, Kari, in statements read by Senior Assistant County Attorney Cheru Townsend, said the suspect would “take nothing” from the family.

“I refuse to be full of anger and hatred. I refuse to let you take my joy. My sweet precious baby, my amazing gift from God is going to be OK,” the statement said. “You get to take nothing from us. You chose to listen to the devil that day. I don’t get to judge you or hate you. Instead, I am full of God’s love.”

The boy’s father stated religion as his reason for forgiving Aranda, however, he slammed his actions as “acts intended to kill and destroy.”

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