The Savage day care where 11-month-old Harvey Muklebust was murdered last year has been cleared by the state of Minnesota to reopen.
Rocking Horse Ranch day care employee — 18-year-old Theah Russell — allegedly confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another infant.
According to authorities, a review of Russell’s background uncovered a documented history of troubling behavior, including repeated 911 calls reporting nonsensical incidents, starting fires at a church camp and exhibiting erratic behavior toward other children.
State agency allows day care to reopen
A Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ (DCYF) order allows Rocking Horse Ranch to reopen.
“This order is effective immediately and you may resume operation of your child care at this location,” the state wrote in a March 11 notice to Rocking Horse Ranch authorized agent Lisa Weiss.
State officials originally shut down the facility on Sept. 23, 2025, after the murder of 11 month-old Harvey and attempted murder of a four month-old girl, determining the “health, safety, and rights of children served by your program were at imminent risk of harm.”
But after completing a maltreatment investigation, DCYF said it determined the conditions leading to the suspension no longer exist.
“DCYF conducted a maltreatment investigation and has determined that there are no longer conditions in the program that present an imminent risk of harm to the health, safety, and rights of children served by the program,” the order states.
The agency said it will continue monitoring the facility for compliance with licensing rules.
Death of Harvey Muklebust
The facility became the focus of a homicide investigation after Harvey Muklebust was found unresponsive in his crib on Sept. 22, 2025.
Authorities say day care worker Theah Russell, who had been employed at the center for only three weeks, confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another infant.
Savage Police Chief Brady Juell previously said Russell quickly became the central focus of investigators.
“A clear pattern emerged. Theah Russell was a common denominator in each of these incidents. She had last contact with each of the affected children immediately prior to these events,” Juell said at a January news conference.
Investigators later uncovered what Juell described as a troubling history of attention-seeking behavior.
“This revealed a documented history of attention-seeking behavior, including her making multiple 911 calls, reporting nonsensical incidents, and simply hanging up,” he said.
Russell is currently being held in the Scott County Jail and faces charges including second-degree murder, first-degree assault and third-degree assault.
West: Reopening raises accountability questions
State Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine — who introduced “Harvey’s Law” following the infant’s death, a bill that would require surveillance cameras in infant and toddler rooms at day care centers receiving state funding — said the state’s decision to allow the facility to reopen raises serious questions about accountability and shows why additional reforms are needed.
“Given that this was happening over multiple days with more than one emergency response, it seems like the center should have some responsibility,” West told Alpha News regarding the assaults on two infants between Sept. 19 and Sept. 22, 2025 at the Rocking Horse Ranch.
West said the case is a perfect example as to why surveillance cameras should be required in child care facilities.
“This demonstrates perfectly why cameras are so important,” West said. “When something horrible happens in a center they almost never have any accountability.”
Harvey’s mother, Catherine Muklebust, echoed that sentiment.
“Harvey’s death was completely avoidable if cameras were installed,” she said during a press conference last week.
West said the case also highlights a limitation in Minnesota’s background check system for child care providers. He said facilities often receive limited information about applicants during the state’s background study process.
“Unfortunately, the childcare provider doesn’t get enough information when they get a background study from the department. They merely get an approved or denied. So it is difficult for them to know a prospective candidate’s history. This is another thing we are working on,” West said.
According to West, another bill will be presented in his committee on maltreatment at day care centers.
He says it would require background studies to notify providers if an applicant has a maltreatment violation that does not automatically disqualify them, apply a maltreatment violation to a center if maltreatment occurs more than twice or over the course of more than 30 days, and require all parents at a center to be notified if a confirmed maltreatment violation occurs.
“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. We are voting on Harvey’s Law and the maltreatment bill on March 17.”
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
