An Amish mother accused of drowning her 4-year-old son and attempting to kill her teenage children in a religious fervor believed she had “to allow herself to be swallowed by a fish” to prove herself worthy to God, police said.
Ruth Miller was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of domestic violence and one count of child in connection with a series of incidents at Atwood Lake last month.
She and her family were camping on the water to celebrate her birthday, according to the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, but their festivities took a dark turn when Miller and her husband, Marcus, began to believe God was speaking to them, commanding them to perform acts of faith the in the lake.
“It is immediately apparent that Ruth, at the time of the tragic incident, suffered from a severe mental ailment that unequivocally prevented her from appreciating the wrongfulness of her conduct,” Miller’s attorney Ian Friedman told People.
“I expect that this case will center around whether Ruth should be found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. We are confident that she will be.”
The Millers together went to the lake in the early hours of Aug. 23, and then returned to their campsite a short time later. Ruth tried to walk on water but she was unsuccessful. Her husband later returned to the lake for a do-over at around 6:30 a.m. and tried swimming to a distant sandbank, but he drowned trying.
Prosecutors said Miller drove her 4-year-old son into the lake hours later, then threw the boy in the water before loading up her three other children — her 15-year-old daughter and twin 18-year-old sons — into a golf cart. She initially slammed the vehicle into a wall, and then drove it into the water, police said.
All three of her children climbed on top of the golf cart, but Miller refused help, according to witness accounts.
When officers arrived on the scene, she attempted to flee, but she was ultimately captured, at which point, she began to discuss her conversations with God. She allegedly told them she intentionally drowned her son to “give him to God.” Miller also told authorities that she was able to walk on water.
Miller was hospitalized for treatment in wake of the incident and her children were sent to live with relatives. On Monday, she was released from the hospital and booked into Tuscarawas County Jail. She has a court appearance scheduled for Friday, but her attorney said it is likely to be postponed.
