State clears Savage daycare where infant died to reopen under monitoring
The state has formally cleared Rocking Horse Ranch in Savage to reopen after its suspension following the death of 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust, and the 18‑year‑old worker in the case has been charged and is no longer on staff. State regulators said their maltreatment investigation found no longer an “imminent risk of harm” at the facility and that there was “no apparent reason” the center would have known the worker posed a threat.
📌 Key Facts
- On March 13, 2026, the state formally cleared Rocking Horse Ranch in Savage to reopen after its suspension.
- The facility had been suspended following the killing of 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust at the daycare.
- The state’s maltreatment investigation concluded there is no longer an "imminent risk of harm" at the facility.
- The 18‑year‑old employee identified as abusive in the investigation is no longer on the daycare’s staff.
- State regulators said there was "no apparent reason" for the facility to have known the worker was a threat before the incidents, effectively placing responsibility on the individual rather than on systemic failures at the center.
📊 Relevant Data
In Minnesota, child care workers are predominantly White (92%), female (98%), with an average age of 44 years.
Minnesota Early Care and Education Workforce: An Overview — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Nationally, Black individuals comprise 21.0% of child maltreatment perpetrators while representing approximately 13% of the population, indicating overrepresentation; White individuals comprise 47.4% while representing about 60%, indicating underrepresentation; Hispanic individuals comprise 20.3% while representing about 19%.
Who is most likely to abuse a child? — Child Protection Global Network
Risk factors for child maltreatment perpetration include caregivers with drug or alcohol issues, mental health issues including depression, high family conflict or violence, low income or poverty, unemployment, and social isolation.
Risk and Protective Factors | Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms Rocking Horse Ranch in Savage, where 11‑month‑old Harvey Muklebust was killed, has been formally cleared by the state to reopen after its suspension.
- Reiterates that the state’s maltreatment investigation concluded there is no longer an 'imminent risk of harm' at the facility and that the abusive 18‑year‑old employee is no longer on staff.
- Highlights that state regulators maintain there was 'no apparent reason' for the facility to have known the worker was a threat before the incidents, effectively placing blame on the individual rather than systemic failures at the center.