Man sentenced after throwing boy off third-floor balcony in shopping centre

The child was critically injured.

A man who threw a five-year-old boy off the third-floor balcony of a shopping centre balcony has been sentenced to 19 years in prison. Emmanuel Aranda admitted to throwing the boy 12 metres off the balcony in the Minnesota Mall of America in April of this year. The 24-year-old said that he was "looking for someone to kill" and eventually decided on five-year-old Landen. BBC reports that the boy survived the near fatal 12 metre fall but has required multiple surgeries. His parents have described his recovery as "miraculous." "I wish you could experience the pain and suffering you inflicted on my boy," they said in a statement. "You should have the maximum punishment that this life has for you so you understand the impact of your actions." Aranda pleaded guilty to one count of premeditated murder last month. The 24-year-old, who has a history of mental health issues and has been arrested on assault charges at the same Mall, is believed to have been homeless before the incident. His attorney did not mention his mental health issues as a defence.