In a distressing incident, a 40-year-old man from Minnesota, with a troubling history of physical assaults on children, was apprehended this week on charges of allegedly causing the death of his girlfriend's 14-month-old daughter through severe beatings that occurred in July.
Erik Adrian Blanco was taken into custody on Wednesday and now faces one count of second-degree murder with intent and another count of second-degree murder without intent concerning the tragic demise of young Riverlynn VanNorman, as confirmed by online records reviewed by Law&Crime.
According to a press release issued by the Little Falls Police Department, the distressing incident unfolded on the evening of July 6 when Riverlynn's mother dialed 911, reporting that her daughter had ceased breathing.
Responding swiftly, authorities arrived at their residence in the 400 block of Third Street Northeast, discovering the lifeless toddler with no signs of respiration or pulse.
Riverlynn was promptly transported to St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls, where her life was tragically lost. The official cause of her death was attributed to "multiple head and neck injuries consistent with homicidal violence," as indicated by officials.
Investigators unraveled that the victim and her mother had been residing temporarily with Blanco, identified as the mother's boyfriend, for approximately one week leading up to the fateful incident.
At the time of Riverlynn's fatal injuries, her mother was absent from the home, leaving Blanco responsible for her care, as per authorities.
A probable cause affidavit obtained from the Star Tribune described the initial scene as one of distress, with the victim's mother in a state of hysteria, urgently calling out her daughter's name.
In stark contrast, Blanco was reportedly observed intermittently praying but remained otherwise emotionally detached.
During questioning by detectives, Blanco purportedly failed to provide a plausible explanation for the homicidal injuries responsible for Riverlynn's tragic demise, simply asserting that he had no involvement.
Subsequently, Blanco was arrested and booked into the Morrison County Jail on murder charges. He made a court appearance on Friday, during which a judge put his bond at $1 million, according to records.
Little Falls Police Chief Greg Schimers conveyed his sentiments, saying, "After an exhaustive and thorough investigation into this case, investigators have arrested Erik Blanco in connection with this heart-breaking tragedy."
He expressed condolences to Riverlynn's family, acknowledging the profound pain and sorrow they were enduring, and thanked the community for its patience and support throughout the challenging investigation.
Court records revealed that Blanco had a history of convictions, including felony domestic assault in 2017, theft of high-value property in 2016, receiving stolen property in 2014, assault with a dangerous weapon in 2014, disorderly conduct and obstruction in 2006, and a particularly disturbing incident in 2001 involving the assault of a 1-year-old child, resulting in a skull fracture.
If found guilty of second-degree murder, Blanco could potentially face a sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
In another news, Faruk Fatih Özer, the former CEO of the now-defunct Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, has been sentenced to an astonishing 11,196 years, 10 months, and 15 days in prison. See detailed story here
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