Somali-Run Minnesota Day Care Says Child Care Records Vanished in Break-In

Viral videos and missing records put Somali-run day cares in Minnesota and Ohio under intense fraud scrutiny.

Somali-run day care in Minnesota operators claims a sudden break in robbed them of all child care records, receipts, and related operational documents, (Image Source: X. @Fox9, @vardi3831)

A bizarre claim by a Somali-run Minnesota day care that all of its critical child care documents were stolen in a mysterious break-in has ignited renewed scrutiny of an expanding web of alleged fraud tied to child care centers in Minnesota and Ohio — many of which viral videos suggest have no children present at all.

The Minnesota daycare facility’s assertion that every essential record vanished overnight immediately raised red flags among regulators and investigators already examining allegations that some day care operators are exploiting public assistance programs while providing little to no actual child care. The missing Minnesota day care documents reportedly included attendance logs, staff records, and compliance paperwork — the very materials used to verify whether a center is operating legitimately.

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According to the Minnesota day care center’s account, the break-in conveniently wiped out all documentation related to child enrollment and operations. In a public statement the operator of the Somali-run day care centr claimed, “All of our important documents about child care were stolen,” offering no explanation as to why none were backed up or stored digitally.

The timing of the Somali-run day care center claim has proven especially problematic. It comes as viral videos circulating online show multiple Somali-run day care centers in both Minnesota and Ohio appearing completely empty during hours they are supposedly caring for children. In several viral video clips, individuals walk through facilities registered to receive taxpayer child care subsidies and find vacant rooms, locked doors, and no sign of children or staff.

One viral video highlights a Somali-run Minnesota center listed as operating from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. — hours critics say make little sense for traditional child care while still qualifying the facility for public funding. Another video shows an Ohio day care registered for dozens of children but appearing deserted during claimed operating hours.

Investigating reporters have also questioned how Somali-run day care centers allegedly serving infants and toddlers could operate primarily in late afternoon and evening hours, a schedule that would be highly unusual for licensed child care. Fraud experts say such hours can be used to inflate attendance claims while minimizing the chance of inspections or parental verification.

The Minnesota Somali-run day care center case has drawn comparisons to past scandals involving nonprofit and social service fraud, including the Feeding Our Future case, which exposed how millions in taxpayer funds were siphoned through shell operations claiming to serve children who never existed.

In Ohio, state officials have begun reviewing Somali-run day care center  licensing and subsidy records after videos appeared to contradict reported attendance. Regulators are examining whether providers falsified sign-in sheets, billed for phantom children, or used overlapping addresses and staff to run multiple centers on paper.

The Somali-run Minnesota day care at the center of the “stolen documents” claim has denied wrongdoing, insisting the break-in was real and that law enforcement was notified. “We reported it immediately,” the operator said, adding that the center was cooperating with authorities. However, investigators note that losing every compliance document in a single incident is highly unusual and complicates verification of past claims.

As the Minnesota Somali-run day care center investigations widen, critics argue the alleged scheme underscores weaknesses in child care subsidy oversight, particularly in programs that rely heavily on self-reported attendance. They say stronger verification measures, surprise inspections, and real-time reporting are needed to prevent abuse.

For now, the Somali-run day care center break-in claim in Minnesota has become less about a burglary and more about credibility. With viral footage contradicting enrollment claims and documents conveniently missing, authorities are focused on a central question: were these day cares ever caring for children at all — or merely collecting checks for services that never happened?