Mother and 2-year-old stabbed in South Providence; suspect faces attempted murder charges
A woman and her toddler daughter were stabbed Wednesday afternoon near Broad and Public streets. Police say Nelson Blanco, 46, was arrested nearby and faces charges including assault with intent to commit murder.
The 30-second version
A mother and her 2-year-old daughter were stabbed Wednesday afternoon in South Providence, and a suspect is in custody facing attempted murder charges, police said. Both victims were taken to the hospital. The child was described as seriously hurt.
What happened
Providence police responded around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday to the area of Broad and Public streets for a report of a stabbing, according to NBC 10. Officers found a woman in her late 20s and a 2-year-old girl suffering from stab wounds, Police Chief Oscar Perez told WPRI. Both were rushed to the hospital.
Major David Lapatin told the Boston Globe the 2-year-old was "seriously" hurt. Other children were in the area but were not injured. The victims' conditions were not immediately known Wednesday night.
The suspect
Police identified the suspect as Nelson Blanco, 46. He was taken into custody near the scene and charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, breaking and entering a dwelling occupied by a person over 60, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a knife with a blade longer than 3 inches, according to police.
Chief Perez said there was no evidence Wednesday that the suspect knew the victims.
According to GoLocalProv, Blanco was arrested in 2003 for stabbing two 7-year-old boys playing in a Providence yard. Court records show he was ruled incompetent in that case, and he has faced multiple charges since.
What's next
Providence police scheduled a press conference for 9 a.m. Thursday to provide more details. Blanco was expected to be arraigned in Providence District Court at 10 a.m. Thursday, per NBC 10.
Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement he was "horrified by this senseless act of violence towards a mother and her two-year-old daughter" and praised the swift response of first responders.
A note on our reporting
These are charges and police accounts, not findings of guilt. Blanco is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. New England Press did not witness the incident or attend the scene; this brief is compiled from the sources linked above.
Cover image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of the scene.