The Amish mother accused of drowning her 4-year-old son in an Ohio lake and then driving a golf cart with her three teenage children into the water is now in custody after being released from a hospital where she was treated for mental health issues.
Ruth Miller, 40, is facing charges of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of domestic violence, and one count of child endangerment. The incident happened at Atwood Lake on August 23.
Authorities say Miller admitted to drowning her 4-year-old son, Vincen Miller, and trying to drown her three older children — a 15-year-old daughter and 18-year-old twin sons — after she claimed to have spoken with God.
Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Campbell said at a press conference that Miller told deputies she acted because God told her “to allow herself to be swallowed by a fish to prove her worthiness.” He said Miller appeared to be suffering from “spiritual delusion.”
Her court appearance was scheduled for Friday, Sept. 5, but sources told PEOPLE that the date will likely be delayed since a grand jury is expected to return a formal indictment today, Sept. 4.
Miller’s attorney, Ian N. Friedman, told PEOPLE: “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. 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.”
Investigators say Miller and her husband, Marcus, 45, had taken their children to Lake Atwood. Shortly after midnight, she claimed that God told them to perform certain tasks at the lake. The couple returned to their campsite, but Miller said Marcus felt he had failed and went back to the water. He tried swimming to a sandbar but drowned, according to Sheriff Campbell.
Later that morning, around 6:30 a.m., Miller drove her 4-year-old son to the lake and threw him into the water, saying she was “giving him to God.” She then brought her teenage daughter and twin sons to the lake, ordering them to complete tasks to prove their faith.
Vacationing families at the lake eventually noticed Miller and the teenagers crying together. Witnesses said she then put the children into a golf cart, drove into a stone wall, and continued into the water. The teenagers managed to escape, but Miller refused help and wanted to stay in the lake.
Deputies found her hiding in bushes. She spoke about conversations with God and claimed she could walk on water before falling back into the lake, Campbell said.
Miller was hospitalized the same day, while her surviving children were placed with relatives. The bodies of her husband and young son were found after a nearly 24-hour search.
She was released from the hospital on Sept. 1 and booked into Tuscarawas County Jail.
