US man sentenced after throwing child from mall balcony

Minnesota – A US man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to throwing a five-year-old boy from a third-floor balcony.

Emmanuel Aranda, 24, told police he went to Minnesota’s Mall of America “looking for someone to kill”, before choosing the boy, identified as Landen.

In a statement read in court on Monday, Landen’s parents decried Aranda’s act as one “intended to kill and destroy”.

Landen survived the almost 40ft (12m) fall, but required multiple surgeries.

His parents described his recovery from head trauma and broken bones sustained in the 12 April attack as “miraculous”. No further update on his condition was provided.