Educational Co-Op Files $2M Claim against Former Manager

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A Platte-based educational cooperative has filed a $2 million claim against the estate of the late business manager accused of killing his wife and kids before committing suicide.

Mid-Central Educational Cooperative officials filed the claim this month, saying there's a reasonable probability that Scott Westerhuis improperly misappropriated funds from the co-op.

Investigators say Westerhuis killed his wife and four children in September, just hours after the state Department of Education informed Mid-Central that it was losing a $4.3 million GEAR UP contract because of financial problems and failure to follow proper accounting procedures.

Court files also show claims against Westerhuis' estate for $15,000 in American Express credit card debt and $4,500 owed to an online payment system.