Theah Russell, former daycare worker at a Savage, Minnesota daycare facility arrested for the suffocation death off 11-month-old infant, Harvey Muklebust along with attempted killing of another child, cause she sought attention.
A former daycare worker in Minnesota was on Tuesday arrested over the suffocation murder of an 11-month-old infant boy in September, 2025. The former employee also faces charges in relation to a four month old infant .
Theah Loudemia Russell, 18, who previously worked at a daycare center in Savage faced charges of second degree murder in the death of 11-month-old boy, Harvey Muklebust. She will also be charged with attempted murder in two incidents involving another child, a four-month-old girl after also attempting to suffocate a second infant at the daycare.
Previous episodes of another child suffering injuries consistent with being suffocated
The arrest follows a three month investigation by Savage police, the Scott County Attorney’s Office and other investigators, FOX9 reported.
At the time of the tragedy, Russell who was employed by Rocking Horse Ranch in Savage, MN, called 911 on Sept. 22, 2025, to report a child, an 11-month-old was not breathing. Authorities responded and the boy was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Three days prior, Savage police went to the day care on a report of an unresponsive 4-month-old girl with blood under their nose and mouth. Two hours before the 911 call about Muklebust, that same child was found in a similar state, though police were not called to respond, CBS News reported.
Savage Police Chief Brady Juell said Russell’s ‘behavior and actions at the scene immediately raised suspicion, drawing investigative focus to her as the primary person of interest.’
Authorities investigated Russell’s background, finding ‘a documented history of attention-seeking behavior,’ including ‘nonsensical’ 911 calls, fire starting and ‘erratic behavior toward other children,’ Juell said.
Teen daycare worker admits to suffocating children as a means to seeking attention
During police questioning, Russell confessed to ‘intentionally suffocating’ Muklebust and the other child ‘in an attention-seeking act,’ according to Juell. The police chief said that the employee ‘confessed to the attempted murder of our first victim on two occasions and to the murder of Harvey Muklebust.’
Russell had only worked at the day care for three weeks before Muklebust’s death.
After the infant’s death, Rocking Horse Ranch owner Lisa Weiss said she had no comment.
According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the state suspended Rocking Horse Ranch’s license on Sept. 23, and that suspension is under appeal.
A previous report via WCCO cited parents saying that the daycare center having a ‘stellar reputation’ and nothing but ‘good experiences.’
Of note, the outlet is not being criminally investigated.
Russell will be formally charged on Thursday and will have a bail hearing on Friday.
