PROVIDENCE, RI — Providence police say a 46-year-old man stabbed a 2-year-old girl in her stroller and also wounded her mother in a daytime attack near a Family Dollar store on Broad Street. Officers identified the suspect as Nelson Blanco, who police say has no known address and was taken into custody after fleeing to a nearby home.
Police Chief Oscar Perez said the attack happened around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Broad and Public streets and was not preceded by any known dispute. He said the mother and child did not know Blanco, and investigators have not confirmed a motive.
Chief says bystanders stepped in before police made the arrest
Perez said several people waiting for a bus saw the attack unfold and immediately tried to stop it. Their intervention, he said, helped keep the situation from becoming even worse.
After the stabbing, Blanco ran to a home on Daboll Street and broke into the basement, according to police. Officers later arrested him there without any further incident.
The police chief praised the people who acted quickly at the scene and said the apprehension was made before the situation escalated further. He described the violence as heartbreaking for the victims and for the community.
Mother released from hospital as child remains in critical but stable condition
Police said the mother was treated at a local hospital and has since been released. The 2-year-old girl was still hospitalized Thursday in critical but stable condition, and Perez said she is “fighting for her life.”
The attack drew sharp concern from city officials because it happened in broad daylight in a busy commercial area. Perez called it horrific and unimaginable, saying it could have been much worse if bystanders had not intervened when they did.
Blanco faces assault, breaking and entering and knife charges
Blanco was arraigned Thursday morning on charges including assault with intent to commit murder, breaking and entering, and possession of a knife. Police said he was also scheduled to appear in Superior Court later in the day on an alleged bail violation tied to a previous case.
Officials have not said in court what caused the attack, and police said there is no confirmed motive at this time. Blanco is known to police, according to Perez, but investigators have not tied the incident to any ongoing dispute between the suspect and the victims.
Police point to Blanco’s prior violent history in Providence
Blanco’s criminal record includes a 2003 stabbing in Providence that involved two 7-year-old boys, according to NBC affiliate WJAR. Court records from that case showed he was found incompetent to stand trial after psychiatric evaluations described him as out of touch with reality.
Perez said the department’s last documented contact with Blanco was for a larceny case in 2024. WJAR, citing police, also reported that Blanco had previously been arrested in connection with the 2003 attack on the boys, who were playing in their yard.
Mayor Brett Smiley calls the attack a senseless act of violence
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley called the stabbing a senseless act of violence in a statement and thanked first responders for their quick response. City leaders did not announce any new public safety measures in the immediate aftermath.
The attack happened near a busy retail corridor in the city’s south side, where police say witnesses and officers worked together to stop the suspect and protect the victims. For investigators, the case now centers on the criminal charges, the child’s recovery and the unanswered question of why the attack happened.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
