The parents of the 5-year-old boy, who was thrown off from the third-floor balcony of the Mall of America said that the action of the assailant was “evil” and added that they forgive him for what he has done.
The man will be spending 19-years in prison for his cruel act.
Emmanuel Aranda did not show any emotion during the hearing, when Jeannice Reding, the District Judge of the Hennepin County District, asked the 24-year-old if he wanted to say anything, he simply replied “no”.
District Judge Jeannice Reding sentenced him after pleading guilty to attempted premeditated first-degree murder for the April 12 attack.
During the investigation, 24-year-old Emmanuel Aranda said that he went to the Mall of America as he was “looking for someone to kill.”
Investigating officers said that the 24-year-old tried to talk to women inside the mall, but after getting rejected, it “caused him to lash out and be aggressive.”
Emmanuel Aranda also said that he was planning to kill an adult before he chose the 5-year-old boy.
Landen, the 5-year-old boy, fell from almost 12 meters and underwent through multiple surgeries for his head trauma and his broken bones.
The court did not talk about his recovery, but the parents of Landen said that his recovery has been miraculous.
In a statement that was written by the father of Landed, which was read out by Cheri Ann Townsend, a prosecutor, the father said, “Your act was evil and selfish, you chose to listen to the worst parts of yourself that day.”
The father added, “You chose evil over good and chose to take your hate and hurt out on my precious boy. That is where your impact on us stops, you will take nothing more from us.”
The statements of the parents were all full in reference with their faith in Christianity, the parents added that they forgave the 24-year-old as they believe God wants them to.
The mother of Landen said, “You chose to think about yourself that day, what you were feeling and wanted to do to someone else.”
She added, “I’m sad you chose anger and hatred.”
Paul Sellers, the Attorney of 24-year-old Emmanuel Aranda, did not mention any mental illness defense for Aranda.
Becky Aranda, the mother of Emmanuel Aranda, and Jessica Harris, the family friend of the Aranda family, said that the 24-year-old has been in and out of mental health treatment while he was growing up.
They added that his diagnoses were frequently changing.
Some of his diagnoses were depression, deficit disorder, autism, and schizophrenia.
The two added that before the attack, Emmanuel Aranda was homeless.
Becky Aranda, the mother of Emmanuel Aranda, said that his 24-year-old son belongs inside a mental hospital and not inside a prison.
She said, “We’re trying to figure out what happened, what led him to do this. We need answers as much as everybody else.”