Mac Hammond at a service on April 21 gave parishioners an update on Landen Hoffmann, telling them the boy had recently undergone a 5-hour MRI.
The pastor said that the boy suffered several broken bones but said the doctor compared the boy's injuries to falling off a bicycle versus falling from three stories.
"New test results have been positive, though he remains in intensive care with a long road ahead. Our faith in God, and our Savior Jesus, is strong and we are gaining more reason for optimism day by day. We continue our request for privacy as we focus on Landen and thank you for respecting our wishes," the family said in a statement.
According to a criminal complaint, the boy and his mother were outside the Rain Forest Café when Aranda came up close to them. The mother had never seen Aranda before, and she asked if she and her son should move. Instead, Aranda picked up the boy and threw him over the railing.
Officers estimated that the boy fell approximately 39 feet before smashing onto the floor. He suffered multiple fractured bones in his arms and legs in addition to massive head trauma.
Aranda told police that he went to the mall looking for someone to kill, originally planning to murder an adult. He said that he knew what he was planning to do was wrong. He explained he had visited the mall for years, trying to speak to women there, but they rejected him. Aranda said that made him lash out.
Aranda has a criminal history.