Red Lake chairman says he hasn't stepped down amid federal takeover of welfare services

(FOX 9) - The chairman of the Red Lake Nation says he hasn't stepped down after tribal leaders announced last week that he would retire amid a federal takeover of the tribe's child welfare system following eight deaths.

FBI raid on Red Lake Nation

The backstory:

FOX 9 reported in September that the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs had served a search warrant at a child welfare facility on the Red Lake reservation.

Days later, the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced family and child services on the reservation had been reassumed with the support of federal authorities.

Big picture view:

A Department of the Interior letter sent to Red Lake Nation Chairman Darrell Seki Sr. outlined the justification for the emergency takeover of the welfare services.

The document describes the deaths of eight children and concerns that "existing conditions" in the welfare system leave the Red Lake Nation placing children "in situations where they are neglected, abused, and malnourished – including cases involving extreme abuse and risk of death."

Dig deeper:

The letter describes children’s deaths involving abuse, drug exposure and neglect. It alleges Red Lake Nation’s child welfare program failed to intervene to protect children – or, in some cases, returned them to dangerous homes after reports of abuse.

The final two deaths occurred in July 2026 and involved two children who died after being hospitalized. In that case, tribal police contacted the FBI to investigate the death of a child that was "remarkably underweight," the report states.

Authorities searched the home and found poor living conditions. Despite this, according to the letter, welfare staff said they would allow another child to remain with the parents. Tribal police, however, obtained a court-authorized 72-hour hold.

But, when police reached out to welfare services about the younger child, they learned that child had also been hospitalized with similar problems. The child ultimately died "due to neglect and abuse," the letter states.

Red Lake chairman denies he stepped down

Local perspective:

On Friday, the Red Lake Tribal Council issued a statement saying the council had held a meeting on Thursday regarding the federal takeover of its child protection services.

During the meeting, leaders said Chair Darrell Seki Sr. was asked to step down and retire from his position in the next two weeks.

The council said Seki acknowledged mistakes in failing to communicate important information to tribal leaders and agreed to step down.

"Our commitment remains clear; We will continue working diligently to regain our child protection program as quickly and responsibly as possible, while taking the necessary steps to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated," the statement read in part.

The other side:

However, the same day the tribal council issued its statement, Seki responded saying he hadn't submitted his retirement or stepped down.

"I wanted to come let you know that, as of right now, I have not submitted my retirement or stepped down as your duly elected Tribal Chairman," Seki wrote in a Facebook post. "I answer to you, the people, and you will be the first to know if or when I have more information to share. "

What's next:

The tribal council issued a follow-up statement on Saturday that didn't clarify Seki's status but reaffirmed their commitment to solving the issues with the welfare system.

"We cannot change the pain and uncertainty our families have experienced, but we can choose how we move forward. We owe it to our children, families, and the generations yet to come to approach this journey with compassion, integrity, and meaningful action," that statement read in part.

The follow-up statement from the council, however, did raise questions about the Department of Interior letter, with tribal leaders writing they were working to "verify relevant facts."

"While certain information and characterizations contained in the letter remain disputed or require further clarification, we are conducting an internal review to gather and verify relevant facts in support of our ongoing mediation and appeal process," the statement reads. "Given the sensitive nature of these matters, we must be mindful of what can be publicly discussed while protecting the privacy and rights of everyone involved."

Minnesota