A 2-year-old girl is in critical condition after she and her mother were stabbed by a man in Providence, Rhode Island, on Wednesday. The suspect, Nelson Blanco, 46, was arrested for allegedly attacking the pair on the street during daylight hours. According to the Providence Police Department, both the mother and daughter were taken to the hospital with stab wounds; the mother has since been released, while the daughter remains hospitalized.
Blanco has a history of violence, including a 2003 charge for stabbing two 7-year-old boys. He was deemed incompetent to stand trial in that case, as reported by the Providence Journal. Police Chief Oscar Perez stated that Blanco approached the mother and daughter, who were waiting for other children to be dismissed from school, and began to hurl insults. When the mother attempted to escape by crossing the street, Blanco allegedly attacked them.
After the incident, Blanco fled but was later found hiding in the basement of an elderly woman's home. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of assault with intent to commit murder and breaking and entering. Court records indicate that Blanco has a lengthy criminal history, including charges of assault and battery, breaking and entering, and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Blanco was previously arrested for domestic violence in 2024 and released in 2025 into the custody of state health and human services. He was also deemed incompetent to stand trial for a 2018 charge related to possession of a stolen vehicle. The Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals has noted that he has an Intellectual Disability Disorder and Schizophrenia. Chief Perez commented on the situation, stating that while he does not believe the system is broken, law enforcement's role is to present facts to the judicial system.