In Memory of Kayli Grace Arseth: Seeking Justice

Kayli Grace Arseth passed away on June 16th, 2025 at the young age of 22. Her life was tragically cut short and her family and friends have been left without answers. Please support us in our pursuit of justice for Kayli.

Kayli was a vibrant spirit, with a very bright, sassy, funny, and caring personality, which she was so eager to share that she fought her way into this world so quickly the doctors didn’t even get a chance to put a hospital bracelet on her mom. She was always smiling and had a contagious laugh that could brighten anyone’s day. She was easy to be around because she could talk about anything and everything. Kayli loved music, dressing up, and getting ready for raves with her friends. She was artistic, designing stickers on Redbubble in high school and crafting with her friends in her free time as a young adult. Kayli was a daredevil from a young age, quite literally ‘jumping’ when her sisters yelled, “Jump!”, except her sisters had told her to do it headfirst and backwards into the hotel pool – Kayli was just 3 at the time. Kayli was never afraid to try new or scary things, whether it was ordering an odd item from the menu or bombing hills on skis, her snowboard, and her skateboard.

What we loved most about Kayli was her unwavering compassion for others; she loved hard and was always accepting of everyone. Despite her mental health struggles, she was ALWAYS there to lift other people’s spirits; she constantly put others ahead of herself. Her energy brought so much light to everyone she met.

The cutest kid of three girls (unanimously agreed upon within the family), Kayli was hilarious and sassy in her early years. Just a toddler, she would belt the song Apologize from her car seat, with her little legs kicking with enthusiasm, begging us to start the song over every time it ended. At just 8 years old, Kayli and her dad became obsessed with the show ‘The Walking Dead’, a precursor for her love for scary movies. She was an active kid, participating in karate, gymnastics, soccer, diving, and swimming. She memorized piano chords and could play songs facing backwards or just swap left and right hands. She loved animals; she rescued a turtle from the side of the road with her dad, whom she fittingly named Lucky. Between Kayli’s sweet tooth and her love for trying new foods and snacks, Kayli was widely known for her love for food. This may have begun with her grandma Dee getting her hooked on pickles. Not only did they share a love for snacks, but they also shared a favorite color, lime green.

In middle school Kayli played the flute, so lovingly chosen for her 9 years earlier by her oldest sister and later passed on by her other sister. At her grandparents’ house, she loved jet skiing and tubing with her friends and family. Winters, she and her dad would go on snowmobiling adventures around the neighborhood and through fields.

During her time at Wayzata High School, Kayli was on both the swim team and the track & field team. Her main events were pole vaulting and the 100 yard breaststroke. She soon discovered her artistic side through painting and drawing. Transitioning from team sports to more recreational ones, she began spending a lot of her free time learning how to skate and made a lot of new friends at the skate park.

More recently, Kayli was enjoying being in her own apartment with mom occasionally stopping by to help her clean, organize, and meal prep. She loved mom’s cooking; she wanted freshly made meals, no frozen meals for this girl. She had just renewed her lease and kept finding new ways to organize and decorate her place. She kept active by hiking with her dad, continuing to skateboard, and making plans to skydive with her friend. She spent a lot of time with her friends at raves, having sleepovers, and just hanging out. A new friend was added to the group when she got a kitten a few years ago, Kitty (officially Ryder), whom she adored. A new fixation in the last months of her life was her motorcycle. She spent hours restoring the bike and learning to ride it. Her love for art continued through a collection of tattoos, one of which was a queen of hearts surrounded by flowers in memory of her late grandma Dee, whom she loved facing off against at the dining room table. Now she is welcomed into the arms of her grandma, grandpa, and kong kong, probably beating them all at a game of king’s corner.

Kayli loved working with children and started babysitting and nannying while still in middle school. More recently, she worked as a Behavioral Technician, guiding autistic children through their developmental years. Kayli had a way with children, finding it easy to get kids to laugh. Just ten days before her life was taken away, she mentioned she had decided to pursue a degree in Developmental Psychology at the University of Minnesota. This didn’t come as a surprise, as Kayli was already taking classes independently. She always strived to continue growing and learning throughout life, not just to better herself for her own benefit, but to help those around her.

Kayli made a positive difference in many people’s lives and will be deeply missed. She always told people, “well, you’re stuck with me.” The irony is that she is now stuck in our hearts forever.

We will never stop until we find justice for you.

We love you and will always remember you. Rest in peace, Kayli

Kayli is preceded in death by grandfather (kong kong) Jean Chan Ying, grandfather Wes Arseth, and grandmother Dee Arseth.

Kayli is survived by parents Caroline and Paul Arseth, siblings Heather and Sydney Arseth, grandmother (popo) Christine Chan Ying, and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.