Little Falls Man Arrested in Connection with Toddler’s Death

Erik Blanco (Credit: Morrison County Jail)

A 40-year-old Little Falls man has been arrested in connection with the July 2023 death of a toddler at his home.

Erik Adrian Blanco was arrested this morning at his home and is being held in the Morrison County Jail on probable cause second-degree intentional murder. Formal charges are expected later this week.

According to a press release from the Little Falls Police Department, Blanco had been caring for 14-month-old Riverlynn VanNorman while the child’s mother was away on July 6. Emergency workers responded to the home after VanNorman’s mother called 911 to report her child was not breathing.

The child was taken by ambulance to an area hospital but died. An autopsy report determined VanNorman died of multiple head and neck injuries consistent with homicidal violence.

The toddler and her mother were temporarily staying with Blanco at the time.