A wave of grief and disbelief washed over Savage, Minnesota, following the tragic death of 11-month-old Harvey Muklebust. The unthinkable happened at the Rocking Horse Ranch daycare facility in September 2025, shattering a family and leaving a community reeling.
Theah Russell, a daycare worker, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Harvey’s death. Investigators discovered Russell intentionally suffocated the infant, a horrifying act confessed to authorities as a desperate cry for attention.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Just three days before Harvey’s death, police responded to the same daycare center after reports of a 4-month-old infant suffering unexplained injuries – blood around the nose and mouth. The chilling details began to emerge, painting a disturbing picture.
Russell now faces additional charges of attempted murder for also attempting to strangle another infant at the Rocking Horse Ranch. Police Chief Brady Juell revealed a history of “erratic behavior” towards children, including previous instances of attention-seeking actions like making nonsensical 911 calls and deliberately starting fires.
The Rocking Horse Ranch daycare has had its license suspended pending further investigation. Authorities are meticulously reviewing the facility’s protocols and oversight to understand how such a tragedy could occur.
The news reverberated with a haunting echo of another case from the previous year in Bainbridge, Georgia. Yvette Thurston was arrested and charged with severely beating a one-year-old boy at Little Blessings Child Care.
Disturbing images circulated online, revealing the extent of the child’s injuries – a black eye and deep lacerations to his face. The boy’s father, Cory Weeks, expressed the unimaginable pain of witnessing such violence inflicted upon his innocent son, calling it “every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Thurston was released on a $44,000 bond, a detail that sparked outrage and questions about the justice system’s response to such egregious acts of violence against vulnerable children. These cases serve as a stark reminder of the immense trust placed in childcare providers and the devastating consequences when that trust is broken.
Harvey Muklebust’s family, consumed by sorrow, publicly mourned their lost child, pleading for his name to be remembered. The community now grapples with the profound loss and the urgent need to ensure the safety and well-being of all children in their care.
