PROVIDENCE, RI — A 2-year-old girl is still in critical condition after a stabbing in Providence left her and her mother wounded while they waited on a sidewalk for another child to get off a bus. Police said the attack happened in broad daylight last Wednesday and appeared to be random.
Both victims were taken to the hospital after the assault. Authorities said the child’s mother was in stable condition, while the toddler has required three surgeries since the attack. Family members say the injury has shaken them deeply and left them facing a painful recovery ahead.
Family says the attack has left lasting trauma
Relatives described the stabbing as a shocking act of violence that no one in the family expected. The child’s uncle, Moises Javier De La Cruz, told WJAR that the emotional impact has been severe and that the family expects the scars to go far beyond the physical wounds.
He said the injury is something the family will struggle to move past. The girl’s condition has also forced her parents to step away from work, adding pressure at the same time they are trying to support her recovery and stay by her side in the hospital.
Witnesses chased the suspect and police made an arrest nearby
Police said doorbell camera video captured the moments after the stabbing, when two witnesses chased the suspect as he fled. In the video, one person can be heard shouting, “Stop running!”
Officers arrested 46-year-old Nelson Blanco near the scene shortly after the attack. Police have charged him with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, breaking and entering, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a knife with a blade longer than 3 inches.
Investigators say the violence was unprovoked and in daytime
Providence police said the stabbing was random, adding to the fear around an attack that happened in public and in daylight. The mother and child were standing outside while waiting for the school bus routine to continue when the violence unfolded.
The location and timing of the stabbing made the case especially alarming for neighbors and family members. Police have not said what led up to the attack, beyond their description that it was random. The child remains hospitalized as doctors continue treatment after the three surgeries already performed.
Suspect had prior stabbing arrest in an older case
According to prior reporting from WJAR and police, Blanco had also been arrested in connection with a 2003 stabbing case involving two 7-year-old boys who were playing in their yard. That earlier arrest has added another disturbing layer to the current case.
Police have not said whether that old case affected the current investigation or charges. For now, the focus remains on the Providence mother and her 2-year-old daughter, both of whom were hospitalized after last week’s attack.
GoFundMe raises money for medical bills and family support
As the toddler recovers, her family has turned to the public for help with medical bills and daily expenses. They also say they need support because neither parent has been able to work since the stabbings.
The family created a GoFundMe campaign that had raised nearly $38,000 by Sunday afternoon. That money is intended to help cover the child’s care and ease the financial strain on the household while they focus on recovery and healing.
