BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The family of a Twin Cities boy who was seriously injured when he was thrown off a balcony at the Mall of America in 2019 has reached a settlement with the mall, according to a statement released on behalf of the family.
The statement, shared by law firm Briol & Benson, PLLC, said the terms of the settlement are confidential.
"The boy’s recovery has been nothing short of miraculous and the focus remains on his health and wellbeing, which includes privacy during this time. 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 media release continued. "The Mall and the family will ask that any resulting change be named in honor of the young boy."
The boy's family filed a lawsuit against the mall in July 2021 asking for unspecified damages. The suit accused the Mall of America and its security force of failing to protect the boy, later identified as Landen, from Emmanuel Aranda, the man who threw him over a third-story balcony on April 12, 2019.
According to court records, Aranda was charged in two previous incidents at the mall.
Following his arrest, Aranda pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree attempted murder in May in exchange for a 19-year sentence.
Landen, who was 5 years old at the time of the attack, suffered head trauma and multiple broken bones. After four and a half months of medical care, Landen was able to go home. Family continued to share updates on Landen's progress and recovery on a GoFundMe page, and in Nov. 2019, shared that after coming home with a limp he was walking perfectly.
The last GoFundMe update was posted in April 2021, two years after the attack.
"It has been a long journey to this two-year anniversary, and it will continue to be a long road of mental, physical and emotional recovery and healing – for Landen and our entire family. We are, however, so thankful to the Lord that Landen is with us and our family is whole," the post read.
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