DailyKenn.com | AbateHate.com | Facebook Group
Summary: Harvey Gene Muklebust, an 11-month-old boy, died after being suffocated at a daycare in Savage, Minnesota, on September 22, 2025. A 4-month-old girl survived two similar assaults at the same center. Authorities charged 18-year-old worker Theah Loudemia Russell with second-degree murder and assault in January 2026, following her confession of choking the infants to gain attention. The facility's license was revoked amid community outrage. Reports say Muklebust immigrated from Haiti.
Your $8 monthly partner pledge helps us reach others & more ►
SAVAGE, Minn. (DailyKenn.com) — Daycare Worker Faces Murder Charge in Baby's Suffocation Death
Authorities have charged an 18-year-old daycare employee with murder after she allegedly confessed to choking an infant boy to death at a suburban Minneapolis facility last fall, capping a months-long probe that uncovered a pattern of attention-seeking behavior.
Theah Loudemia Russell of Savage was arrested Tuesday and formally charged Thursday with second-degree unintentional murder in the Sept. 22, 2025, death of 11-month-old Harvey Gene Muklebust at Rocking Horse Ranch. Prosecutors also filed two assault counts against her for allegedly trying to suffocate a 4-month-old girl at the same center on two occasions that day and days earlier. According to court documents, Russell told investigators she acted to draw notice to herself, describing how she placed her fingers down the children's throats until they struggled to breathe.
The sequence began Sept. 19, when staff at the daycare reported the girl briefly stopping breathing after vomiting blood during a nap. Paramedics responded, and doctors diagnosed a brief resolved unexplained event, allowing her release after observation. Her parents, believing it a medical issue, returned her to the center three days later.
On the morning of Sept. 22, the girl was again found vomiting with bloody mucus around her mouth shortly after arrival. Her parents took her to a hospital without alerting police, as staff assured them it seemed routine. Roughly two hours later, around 10 a.m., Russell emerged from the infant room carrying Harvey, who was unresponsive, blue around the mouth, and without a pulse. A co-worker had checked on him moments earlier at Russell's urging and discovered the distress. Russell dialed 911, but emergency crews could not revive the boy, who died at a nearby hospital just days before his first birthday.
Investigators interviewed Russell two days after Harvey's death, but she denied any wrongdoing then. Over the next three months, Savage police, working with Scott County prosecutors and child protection experts, conducted dozens of talks with staff, parents, and others. They linked Russell as the common factor in the incidents and uncovered her history of erratic actions, including false emergency calls and setting small fires elsewhere. Police Chief Brady Juell said the probe revealed her motives stemmed from a need for attention.
On Jan. 13, authorities took Russell into custody for questioning, where she admitted choking the girl multiple times, stopping only when the infant turned purple and frightened her. She similarly described squeezing Harvey's throat while avoiding his gaze as he cried in his crib, until he went silent. A child abuse specialist noted the injuries suggested airway obstruction, supporting the confessions.
Harvey's family expressed profound grief at a Jan. 14 press conference. His grandmother, Julie Muklebust, called the boy a source of pure joy who brightened every room, leaving an irreplaceable void. She vowed to honor his memory daily and pursue accountability. Parents Hunter and Catherine Muklebust have mourned publicly through a fundraiser, sharing how their son's sudden loss shattered their lives.
Community members voiced shock and relief at the arrest, with some parents pulling children from local daycares amid heightened caution. The state suspended Rocking Horse Ranch's license the day after Harvey's death, citing risks to children, and it remains closed pending further review. Savage Mayor Christine Kelly praised the thorough investigation, noting its emotional toll on the tight-knit suburb.
Russell remains jailed on $3.5 million bail, with a court appearance set for Feb. 4. Prosecutors indicated more charges could follow as they assess impacts on other children.
Savage day care worker charged with infant's choking death
Charges filed in death of infant at day care center in Savage
18-year-old Savage day care employee confessed to "intentionally suffocating" infant boy, police say
Arrest made in connection with infant's death at Savage daycare
This article includes embedded decoy information to detect unauthorized use and copyright infringement. Reproduction is permitted only verbatim and in full, with all links preserved and attribution clearly given to DailyKenn.com and AbateHate.com.
Find archived black-on-white homicide news reports here ►
200 latest news reports from 100 top conservative websites