A Pine River couple already in legal trouble over the death of their 10-year-old daughter is now staring down even heavier charges. Prosecutors say what began as a manslaughter case has widened into an alleged fraud scheme built on locked mesh “safety beds” and long-term care payments the parents collected for years.
New Charges Tied To MnCHOICES Claims
Fresh charging documents, filed in Crow Wing County and reported by KSTP, now accuse Heather Lynn Cross, 49, and Darcy Ronald Cross, 57, of second-degree murder (without intent) along with four counts of wrongfully obtaining assistance.
According to those filings, the new counts grew out of what investigators learned after the surviving child was placed in protective custody and reportedly stopped showing the severe behaviors the parents had described. Prosecutors allege Heather and Darcy Cross each received more than $20,000 a year in MnCHOICES-linked payments between 2022 and 2025. A court hearing on the new charges is scheduled for August.
How Deputies Found The 10-Year-Old
Before the upgraded counts, the couple had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and contributing to the need for child protection services. Those stem from a call to their home where deputies discovered the 10-year-old unresponsive inside a mesh-enclosed safety bed, according to the Star Tribune.
First responders reported the girl appeared to be in rigor mortis, suggesting she had been dead for hours. Court records describe urine and feces on the mattress and throughout the room. Investigators also say the safety bed’s metal frame and mesh enclosure were damaged, and the parents told deputies they had not checked on the children for most of the day.
Inside The Safety Beds And The Home
A medical-supply technician who installed the safety beds told investigators the equipment appeared broken and that the family had not requested any repairs since the units went in back in 2020, according to CBS Minnesota.
Court documents state both children were left unsupervised for roughly 10 to 12 hours at a time and confined to their beds for those stretches. Police allege one daughter was later found with her head pinned under the metal frame of the bed.
What MnCHOICES Is And Why Fraud Is Alleged
MnCHOICES is Minnesota’s assessment and support-planning system that counties and lead agencies use to determine eligibility for long-term services and supports, including waiver funding for in-home care, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
In the new charging papers, prosecutors allege Heather Cross exaggerated her child’s needs in those assessments compared with what school staff reported in 2022 and what outside care providers observed in 2025. They say those discrepancies led to improper MnCHOICES payments to the family. The specifics of those fraud allegations are laid out in the charging documents themselves. KSTP
How Minnesota Law Treats Murder And Benefit Fraud
Under Minnesota law, second-degree murder can include causing someone’s death without intent while committing certain felonies. The statute sets a maximum prison term of up to 40 years for that offense. Details are spelled out in state law on murder in the second degree. Minnesota Statutes
Separately, “wrongfully obtaining assistance” is treated as a theft-related crime. The statute allows prosecutors and counties to seek both criminal penalties and civil recovery of benefits that were allegedly taken improperly. It also outlines how the state and local governments can pursue repayment and additional sanctions. Minnesota Statutes
Where The Case Stands Now
Heather and Darcy Cross were arrested on Sept. 17, 2025, and their surviving daughter was placed in protective custody at that time, according to CBS Minnesota. The criminal case remains active in Crow Wing County, with more hearings and filings expected in the months ahead as both sides prepare their arguments.
The charging documents are public court records and spell out the allegations prosecutors will have to prove in court. Crow Wing County officials did not issue an immediate public statement tied to the latest filings, and the case will continue to move through the local court system as attorneys get ready for the next round of appearances.
