5-Year-Old Boy Thrown Off Balcony at Mall of America Making 'Small Steps' Toward Recovery

Published: 4/19/2019, 11:29:47 AM EDT

5-Year-Old Boy Thrown Off Balcony at Mall of America Making 'Small Steps' Toward Recovery — Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 24, was charged with first-degree attempted murder on April 15, 2019, after allegedly throwing a 5-year-old boy from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., on April 12, 2019. (Bloomington Police Department)

The 5-year-old boy who was thrown off a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America is making "small steps" toward recovery, a close family friend said.

Landen Hoffmann was picked up on April 12 and hurled over the edge of the balcony at the mall in Minnesota.

Police officials said that the boy fell approximately 39 feet before smashing into the floor.

In an update on a GoFundMe page that was created to raise funds for Landen's medical care, a family friend, Noah Hanneman, wrote: "The power of prayer is simply amazing. We all have been extremely humbled by the outpouring of support and prayers from everyone one. Thank you for showing us there is so much good not only in our community but across the globe."

He added that Landen's condition was similar to previous days.

"Condition is again similar to previous days, another peaceful night of sleep—small steps towards the healing process. Each new day is a good day," he said.

"Landen's recovery is expected to be ongoing for a long time, while it's hard to estimate costs, this will change everything for their family and require much of their time and focus. Many people continue to want to offer support and have asked me to raise the goal amount again, so I'll continue doing so."

In a previous update, Hanneman said that the family was "hoping to get some good news back from some upcoming tests in the next few days."

The Mall of America in a file photo. (Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) — The Mall of America in a file photo. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

The fundraiser has raised over $875,000 in just five days, with donations from nearly 25,000 people.

Authorities said that Emanuel Aranda, the 24-year-old who is suspected of throwing Hoffman, was looking for someone to kill. They said he went to the mall wanting to murder an adult but for some reason ended up choosing the child.

Aranda's uncle, Francis Aranda, said that his nephew has had serious mental problems for a long time.

“He has a serious mental problem, he was diagnosed as a child,” Aranda told KTSP. In 2014, for instance, before his nephew moved to Minnesota, he was charged with multiple crimes, including assault, after threatening to slit a restaurant employee’s neck during an altercation in the Chicago area.

Aranda said that the suspect’s mother tried to get him help for his mental issues.

“My nephew he had mental problems for a long time, for a very long time,” the uncle told WCCO. “He needed help for a really long time.”

The uncle, who lives in Philadelphia, said that what happened was “gut-wrenching” and that he couldn’t believe what his nephew did. “I’m at a loss for words,” he added.

He said that his family’s focus is on the victim and the victim’s family.

“We’re all praying for that mom because we can’t imagine what she’s going through. We just can’t imagine what she’s going through. Praying for her and her family period. We’re doing that,” Aranda said.

But he also said that he hopes his nephew doesn’t go to jail, telling KTSP: “We are going to pray for that baby because what happened is so unfortunate, but it’s going to bring light to mental illness, I hope he doesn’t go to jail, he needs help."