Little Falls Man Facing Charges in Death of Toddler

LITTLE FALLS (WJON News) -- A Little Falls man has been arrested in connection to the death of a toddler earlier this summer.

The Little Falls Police Department says on July 6th, the mother of 14-month-old Riverlynn VanNorman called 9-1-1 to report that the child was not breathing.

VanNorman was taken to St. Gabriel's Hospital, where she died. The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office determined the toddler's cause of death to be homicidal violence due to multiple head and neck injuries.

The police department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension arrested 40-year-old Erik Blanco at his home in Little Falls Wednesday morning.

Authorities say VanNorman and her mother had been staying with Blanco temporarily, and he had been watching VanNorman while her mother was away from the home.

Blanco has been booked into the Morrison County Jail and is facing charges that include second-degree intentional murder.

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Source: Little Falls Man Facing Charges in Death of Toddler

Filed Under: bca, Crime, death, Little Falls, little falls police department, morrison county, Toddler Killed

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