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Minnesota family rallying to bring man home after fatally struck by lightning in Peru

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Minnesota family rallying to bring man home after fatally struck by lightning in Peru


A Twin Cities family is trying to bring a loved one home after a tragic loss over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The family said the man died after being struck by lightning while mountain biking in Peru.

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Navigating unimaginable loss

The backstory:

Yuri Botelho is a Brazil native and the son of a former local elected official in Brazil. He had recently become a U.S. citizen.

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Yuri and his wife Kelsey and 15-month-old son Tyson had moved to Minnesota this year to be closer to Kelsey’s family. Yuri worked as an engineering technician for the City of St. Louis Park.

What we know:

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Loved ones said Yuri and Kelsey shared a love for the outdoors.

“This year, they had decided to go down to Peru and to hike Machu Picchu. They always go with another couple. Now they both had little ones in tow,” said Mandy Skoog, Yuri’s sister-in-law.

They were nearing the end of their Thanksgiving holiday trip in Peru, when family members got the call Wednesday that Yuri had died after he had been struck by lightning that afternoon.

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“They were mountain biking, Yuri, James, his friend who is in critical condition, and the guide,” said Skoog.

Now, the family is rallying around Kelsey and Tyson to help them return with Yuri’s remains. Immediately upon hearing the news, Kelsey’s brother and a friend flew to Peru to help.

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“Kelsey is one of the strongest women I know. Trying to take it on by herself and not ask for help. She needs to realize we’re all there to help her. So, I’m worried she won’t be able to grieve how she needs to,” said Erika Kastamo, Kelsey’s sister.

What they’re saying:

The family said what is getting them through this unimaginable loss is faith and one another.

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The family is sharing their story to help Yuri’s memory become a lasting legacy.

“What’s not to love about Yuri. Yuri walks into a room and grabs everyone’s attention. He has a big smile, a big personality. Overall, very happy, loves everyone,” said Skoog. “Just spreading Yuri’s kindness.”

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“I want Tyson to know that his dad loved him more than anything,” said Kastamo. “That he loved Tyson more than anything. He was so proud to be a father.”

A spokesperson for the City of St. Louis Park sent this statement about Yuri’s sudden passing.

“We at the City of St. Louis Park are aware of the very tragic news about Yuri Botelho. This is a tremendous loss for his family, his friends and for all of us as his colleagues. Yuri had only been with the city for a short time but was already a trusted and valued employee and friend. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

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What’s next:

The family said they have met with the embassy and is hopeful they will be able to return with Yuri’s ashes as soon as Tuesday. The family said his body has been cremated in Peru.

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The family said Hamel Jiu Jitsu is planning to honor Yuri. His family from Brazil is also coordinating plans to make a trip to Minnesota.

What you can do:

There is a fundraiser to support Kelsey through this tragic time with unexpected travel and medical expenses.

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The Source: Family interviews, City of St. Louis Park.

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Minnesota investigators say child care centers captured in viral video were operating as expected

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Minnesota investigators say child care centers captured in viral video were operating as expected


A video by a right-wing content creator accusing several Somali-owned child care centers in Minnesota of fraud went viral and led to compliance checks by Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The agency says they were operating normally, except for one that was not yet open when investigators arrived.



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Game Recap: Kings 5, Wild 4 (S/O) | Minnesota Wild

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Game Recap: Kings 5, Wild 4 (S/O) | Minnesota Wild


Matt Boldy scored late in the third to tie it and ultimately send the game to overtime, helping the Wild (25-10-8) extend their point streak to six games (3-0-3). Brock Faber had a goal and an assist, Jake Middleton and Joel Eriksson Ek also scored, and Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves.

It was the second game of a back-to-back for Minnesota, which is coming off a 5-2 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The Wild and Kings will play again in Los Angeles on Monday.

“It was far from perfect of a game from us,” Faber said. “I thought we could have played better. With that quick turnaround, we’ll take the point. Now we need two in the next.”

Kempe put the Kings up 1-0 at 6:08 of the first period, scoring on a wrist shot from close range off Anze Kopitar’s cross-slot pass from below the goal line.

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Middleton tied it up 1-1 at 8:28, getting his first goal of the season in 36 games on a snap shot from the left circle set up by Mats Zuccarello.

“I think he thought I was Kirill (Kaprizov) in the slot there, so it was nice to get one,” Middleton joked. “I normally have a few goals before I take 35 games off from scoring, so this one was getting a little stressful but we got it out of the way.”

Perry gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead at 16:57 of the second period when Byfield’s shot struck him in the wrist and redirected in for the power-play goal.

Eriksson Ek tied it 2-2 at 18:23 on the power play, taking Quinn Hughes’ stretch pass at the offensive blue line for a short breakaway, fending off defenseman Joel Edmundson and scoring on a wrist shot from the left circle.

Byfield put Los Angeles back in front 3-2 at 4:54 of the third period. He shot the puck caroming off the boards back into the crease, where Wallstedt lost it in his skates and it was eventually knocked in by a Wild stick during the ensuing scramble in front.

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“Shouldn’t be, that was terrible,” Byfield joked when asked if he knew it was his goal. “No, it’s good. I think it’s two now that were liked that, so I’ll take them how they come.”



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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the defensive as fraud allegations mount after viral video uncovered Somali aid scheme

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the defensive as fraud allegations mount after viral video uncovered Somali aid scheme


Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pushed back against the ever-growing fraud allegations levied against him in the disastrous aftermath of a viral video where an independent journalist cracked open a crucial part of the alleged Somali aid scheme.

A spokesperson for Walz, a Democrat who frequently provokes President Trump’s ire, addressed a bombshell video posted by conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley.

“The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action. He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed,” the spokesperson told Fox News.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz listens during a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at the US Capitol on June 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images

The spokesperson added that Walz has “hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.”

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In the 43-minute video published on Friday, Shirley and a Minnesotan named David travel around Minneapolis and visit multiple childcare and learning centers allegedly owned by Somali immigrants.

Many were either shuttered entirely, despite signage indicating they were open, or helmed by staff who refused to participate in the video.

YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a mega-viral video on Friday uncovering new parts of the alleged Somali aid scheme. X / Nick Shirley

One of the buildings they visited displayed a misspelled sign reading “Quality Learing Center.” The ‘learning’ center is supposed to account for at least 99 children and funneled roughly $4 million in state funds, according to the video.

Shirley appeared on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday evening and boasted about his findings. He joked that the alleged scheme was “so obvious” that a “kindergartener could figure out there is fraud going on.”

“Fraud is fraud, and we work too hard simply just to be paying taxes and enabling fraud to be happening,” Shirley said.

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Shirley was kicked out for trespassing in one of the centers. X / Nick Shirley
Shirley joked that the alleged scheme was “so obvious” that a “kindergartener could figure out there is fraud going on. X / Nick Shirley

“There better be change. People are demanding it. The investigation have been launched just from that video alone. So there better be change, like I said we work way too hard to be paying taxes and not knowing where our money’s going,” he added.

Many officials have echoed Shirley’s calls for change, with FBI Director Kash Patel even announcing that the agency surged extra personnel to investigate the resources doled out to Minnesota. He said this is one of the first steps in a wide-reaching effort to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was fielding additional personnel to investigate fraud in Minnesota. FNTV

Federal investigators say half of the $18 billion granted to Minnesota since 2018 could have been stolen by fraudulent schemes — amounting to up to $9 billion in theft.

As of Saturday evening, 86 people have been charged in relation to these fraud scams, with 59 convicted so far.

Most of those accused of fraud come from Minnesota’s Somali community.

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Shirley’s mega-viral video cracked 100 million views Sunday night.



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