Minnesota – A Minnesota day-care empIoyee was taken into custody custody earlier this week in connection with the Sept. 2025 death of an 11-month-oId at a Minnesota chiId care faciIity and is facing second-degree murder charges in that death, along with attempted murder charges in related incidents, Minnesota authorities said. The defendant, 18-year-old T. RusseII, was taken into custody by authorities after a months-long investigation into several medical emergencies at RHR ChiIdcare that prosecutors now believe were intentionaIIy caused by her.
The empIoyee has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 11-month-old H. MukIebust, who was found unresponsive at the day care in Sept. last year. Investigators also expect to file attempted murder chargesin connection with two earlier incidents involving a 4-month-old girI at the same faciIity. Per reports, the woman had worked at the facility for about three weeks before the incidents occurred.
According to Police Chief JueII, officers began investigating after multiple incidents involving infants at the day care. On Sept. 19, a 4-month-old girI was found unresponsive with bIood and foam around her nose and mouth and taken to a hospitaI by her parents. No immediate foul play was suspected by poIice at that time. Three days later, the defendant placed a 911 call from the day care reporting that the victim was not breathing. First responders arrived and attempted life-saving measures, but the baby later died at a hospital.
The suspicious nature of the calls and the similar symptoms seen in the other infant drew investigators’ attention back to the day care worker. A review of staffing records, 911 logs and interviews with witnesses showed that the defendant was consistently the last staff member in contact with the affected children. Detectives worked with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the County Attorney’s Office in examining the timeline of events, phone records and other evidence as part of a three-month investigation.
During police interviews after her arrest, the defendant confessed to intentionally sufocating both children as part of what authorities described as an “atention-seeking act”, Chief JueII said. Investigators allege that she had suffocated the 4-month-old infant on two separate occasions and the 11-month-old baby on the third incident, which tragically resulted in his death. Prosecutors said she described the acts in detail, and that there was probable cause to believe she committed these actions to draw attention from staff and others at the facility.
In reviewing the woman’s background, police reported finding a documented history of “atention-seeking behavior,” including instances of making nonsensical 911 calls, erratic actions, and at least one report of starting fires at a church camp. Investigators also noted previous behavior that included unusual conduct toward other children, although details on those incidents were not released.
During the incidents, the defendant initially gave explanations to investigators about the infants’ symptoms. In the case of the 11-month-old victim, she reportedly told police that he might have been constipated and that his parents had given him melatonin to help him sleep. She also made various claims about the younger infant’s state during earlier unresponsive episodes, but those assertions shifted during questioning and ultimately gave way to her confession of intentional suffocation, police said.
The chiId care faciIity’s state Iicense was suspended the day after the baby’s death by the Minnesota Department of Human Services out of concern for children’s safety. The suspension was reported to be under appeal by the owners of the day care.
The defendant is being held at the county jail pending formal filing of charges and her first court appearance. Prosecutors indicated they plan to move forward with second-degree murder and attempted murder counts in the coming days, and a bail hearing was scheduled following her arrest.