Man Accused of Stabbing Toddler and Mother Had Prior Charges, Including Child Assault
Nelson Blanco, arrested in Providence, Rhode Island, faces attempted murder charges after allegedly attacking a 2-year-old girl and her mother; he had previously been deemed incompetent to stand trial for earlier offenses.
A 2-year-old girl is in critical condition after she and her mother were allegedly attacked by a man on Wednesday in Providence, Rhode Island. The suspect, 46-year-old Nelson Blanco, had prior charges including domestic violence and an incident in 2003 where he was accused of stabbing two 7-year-old boys.
Blanco, who police described as appearing to be homeless, was arrested Wednesday after allegedly stabbing the mother and toddler while they were waiting for other children at a school bus stop. The mother has since been released from the hospital, but the child remains in critical condition.
According to Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez, Blanco did not know the victims. He allegedly began verbally harassing the mother, and when she attempted to cross the street to escape, he attacked both her and the child. Bystanders intervened, and Blanco fled the scene before breaking into an elderly woman's home and hiding in the basement. He was later apprehended.
Blanco faces multiple charges, including two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and breaking and entering.
Records indicate Blanco's criminal history dates back nearly 30 years and includes charges for assault and battery, breaking and entering, and possession of a stolen vehicle. In 2003, he was charged with stabbing two boys, ages 7, but was later deemed incompetent to stand trial in that case. He was also arrested for domestic violence in 2024 and released into the custody of state health and human services in 2025. In 2018, he was again deemed incompetent to stand trial after being charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Court documents cited by The Boston Globe state that the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals identified him as having an Intellectual Disability Disorder and Schizophrenia.
When questioned about Blanco being on the street, Chief Perez stated that law enforcement's role is to present facts to the judicial system and that he did not believe the system was broken, but rather that its outcomes should deliver justice.