Savage daycare aide charged, admits suffocating infant at Rocking Horse Ranch
Savage police arrested 18‑year‑old daycare employee Theah Russell, who they say confessed to fatally suffocating 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust and to attempted murder in two earlier incidents involving a 4‑month‑old girl; she faces second‑degree murder and attempted‑murder charges. Investigators say Russell — employed about three weeks and with reported history of erratic behavior — allegedly harmed infants on three occasions to seek attention, prompting state regulators to suspend Rocking Horse Ranch’s license amid prior safety citations, while a preliminary autopsy found no physical injuries or common poisons and the final cause of death is pending.
📌 Key Facts
- State inspection and licensing records show Rocking Horse Ranch Childcare in Savage had been cited for safety violations prior to the September infant death; the Star Tribune story relies on those state records and details the facility’s inspection history and timing of violations relative to the incident.
- Savage police focused their investigation on an 18‑year‑old daycare employee, Theah Russell, who had worked at the center for about three weeks and is linked to three medical incidents: two nonfatal episodes involving a 4‑month‑old girl (Sept. 19 and Sept. 22) and the fatal incident involving 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust.
- Police arrested Russell and say she will be charged with second‑degree murder in the death of 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust and with attempted murder in the two incidents involving the 4‑month‑old; investigators allege she intentionally suffocated infants on three occasions to seek attention and say she confessed after her arrest.
- The Savage search‑warrant affidavit and police reporting say the employee re‑created events for investigators using a doll and include allegations of prior concerning behavior, such as a history of 911 misdials/false reports and other erratic acts (including reported fire‑starting at a church camp).
- A preliminary autopsy of the infant boy found no physical injuries and toxicology did not detect common poisons; the final cause of death is still pending.
- State regulators suspended Rocking Horse Ranch’s license, citing an 'imminent risk of harm,' and police issued a precautionary advisory urging parents to closely monitor their children.
- City officials scheduled a press conference with the mayor, police chief, the Scott County attorney and family representatives; the mayor and police chief gave on‑camera statements calling the case unprecedented for the community and saying Russell 'should never, ever be free again to harm another child.'
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota is home to more than 80,000 ethnic Somalis, the largest community outside of Africa, largely due to refugee resettlement starting in the 1990s following the Somali Civil War.
How Minnesota became the center of the Somali diaspora — Sahan Journal
The resettlement of Somali refugees in Minnesota was driven by the Somali Civil War in the 1990s, facilitated by U.S. federal refugee programs under the Refugee Act of 1980 and organizations such as Lutheran and Catholic charities, which provided initial support and drew more migrants through family networks and economic opportunities.
How did MN get the nation's largest Somali population? — Star Tribune
In Minnesota, 54% of Somali immigrants live in poverty, compared to 7% of natives, based on 2018-2022 American Community Survey data.
Somali Immigrants in Minnesota — Center for Immigration Studies
From 2014 to 2022, an average of two children per month were killed by caregivers in Minnesota, with the report analyzing 207 fatalities and noting that many were preventable through improved child protection interventions.
Minnesota Child Fatalities from Maltreatment 2014 - 2022 — Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Police publicly named the suspect as 18‑year‑old daycare employee Theah Russell and say she will be charged with second‑degree murder in the death of 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust plus attempted murder in two incidents involving a 4‑month‑old girl.
- Investigators now allege Russell intentionally suffocated infants on three separate occasions at Rocking Horse Ranch to seek attention, and Savage police say she confessed after her arrest Tuesday.
- Police detailed two earlier Sept. 19 and Sept. 22 episodes with the same 4‑month‑old girl, each time found not breathing with blood/foam around her nose and mouth, initially treated as medical events until the homicide probe connected them.
- Authorities disclosed additional behavioral red flags: Russell had worked at the daycare only three weeks, had a history of starting fires at a church camp, making nonsensical 911 calls and other erratic behavior toward children.
- Savage’s mayor and police chief made on‑camera statements calling the case unprecedented for the community and saying Russell “should never, ever be free again to harm another child.”
- Savage police have now made an arrest in connection with the September death of an infant boy at Rocking Horse Ranch Childcare.
- The investigation has focused on a specific employee linked to three medical incidents: two involving an infant girl who vomited a 'blood-like' substance and turned pale and lethargic, and the third being the fatal incident with the infant boy.
- The City of Savage scheduled a 1 p.m. press conference with the mayor, police chief, Scott County attorney and family representatives to outline charges and next steps.
- The FOX 9 report details the employee’s own account of each incident, including police having her recreate events with a doll, and highlights that state regulators suspended the license on grounds of 'imminent risk of harm.'
- A Savage Police search‑warrant affidavit focuses on a specific daycare employee tied to two prior medical incidents with an infant girl and to the infant boy who later died.
- In both prior incidents, the infant girl vomited with a "blood‑like" substance and showed distress; the same employee was the caregiver.
- The affidavit notes the employee re‑created events for investigators using a doll and has a history of 911 misdials and false reports.
- Preliminary autopsy findings for the infant boy show no physical injuries and no common poisons in toxicology; final cause of death pending.
- State officials have suspended Rocking Horse Ranch Childcare’s license, and police issued a precautionary advisory urging parents to closely monitor children.
- State inspection records show the Savage daycare had been cited for safety violations prior to the infant's death.
- The Star Tribune article relies on state inspection/licensing records as primary documentation (adds documentary sourcing beyond initial reporting).
- Article provides additional details about the facility's inspection history and the timing of cited violations relative to the September incident.