The family of a child who was thrown over a balcony at the Mall of America in Minnesota has reached a settlement in connection with the shocking act of violence.
The child in question, Landen, was five at the time of the April 2019 incident, which saw a man identified as Emmanuel Aranda throwing him to the ground from a height of nearly 40 feet. Per a report from the Associated Press, a joint statement from the Mall of America and the child’s family was shared on Monday, confirming a settlement had been reached following a lawsuit alleging that mall officials were aware of Aranda’s “violent” past.
Furthermore, Aranda—who later pleaded guilty to attempted murder—was previously reported to have been barred from visiting the shopping location.
“Mall of America and the family have agreed to work together with a focus on safety, and already are jointly pursuing policy changes to existing trespass limits for violent criminals so as to give greater ability to preclude such persons from their premises,” the joint statement, which did not provide additional information regarding other facets (i.e. financial details) of the settlement, said.
Complex has reached out to reps for Briol & Benson, PLLC and Mall of America for additional comment. This story may be updated.
A GoFundMe, donations for which topped $1 million, included an update from the family on Landen’s road to recovery in April of last year. Per a family rep, the “long road of mental, physical, and emotional recovery and healing” will continue.
“We are, however, so thankful to the Lord that Landen is with us and our family is whole,” the family’s rep said at the time.
According to previous updates from the family, the five-year-old sustained “life-threatening injuries” after being thrown from the balcony. These injuries required multiple operations, with the family saying in 2019 that their child had been required to undergo “15 separate medical procedures or surgeries” as part of the healing process.
