Homeless man attacks mother and 2-year-old in Providence, child remains critical

In Providence, Rhode Island, police apprehended Nelson Blanco, 46, for allegedly stabbing a mother and her 2-year-old daughter while the woman waited for her other children after school. Both victims were taken to a hospital; the mother has been discharged, but the toddler remains in critical condition. Blanco, who appears to be homeless, has a criminal history spanning nearly three decades, including a 2003 case where he stabbed two 7-year-old boys and a recent domestic-violence arrest in 2024 that led to his release in 2025 under state health services.

He was also deemed incompetent to stand trial on a 2018 stolen-vehicle charge and is diagnosed with an intellectual disability disorder and schizophrenia. After the attack, bystanders intervened, and Blanco fled, later hiding in an elderly woman's basement. He now faces two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and breaking-and-entering charges.