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Millersburg, Ohio — An Amish woman faces aggravated murder charges after allegedly throwing her 4-year-old son into Atwood Lake. Ruth R. Miller, 40, reportedly told Tuscarawas County investigators she was following God’s instructions when she killed her son, Vincen, early Saturday.
Captain Adam Fisher, lead investigator, stated Miller repeatedly confessed to throwing Vincen off a dock. She appeared detached from the gravity of her actions, according to Fisher.
This tragedy follows the apparent drowning death of Miller’s husband, Marcus J. Miller, 45, just hours earlier.
Sheriff Orvis Campbell revealed Marcus was attempting to swim to a sandbank, also purportedly as a test of faith. The couple’s three other children, a 15-year-old girl and 18-year-old twin boys, were reportedly directed to perform similar water-based trials but survived.
In addition to the murder charges, Ruth Miller faces counts of domestic violence and child endangerment related to the older children. She is currently receiving treatment at a mental health facility. Her attorney, Scott Fromson, was unavailable for comment.
Sheriff Campbell described a chaotic scene when authorities arrived at the lake Saturday morning, responding to a report of a submerged golf cart. Miller had allegedly driven the cart, with her three older children aboard, into a stone wall at high speed. The children escaped, but Miller, still in the water, urged rescuers to “pray for her” and spoke of “giving her son to the Lord.”
The bodies of Vincen and Marcus were recovered by divers later that day and early Sunday morning, respectively. The coroner is working to determine the official cause of death for both.
A statement from the family and their church attributed the events to mental illness, emphasizing that the actions do not reflect their beliefs. They acknowledged the family had been receiving both spiritual and professional support.
The surviving children are reportedly deeply distressed. Sheriff Campbell noted their unquestioning obedience to their parents played a role in the events. The incident has sparked renewed discussion about the handling of mental health and abuse within the Amish community.