Amish mother charged with drowning her son, claiming divine instruction led her to believe she should be consumed by fish.

An Amish mother from Ohio has been charged with aggravated murder following a tragic incident at Atwood Lake, where she allegedly drowned her four-year-old son and attempted to harm her teenage children as part of a misguided religious conviction. Ruth Miller, 36, faces serious allegations that highlight the complex intersection of mental health and faith-based beliefs.

According to the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, the family was camping to commemorate Miller’s birthday when the situation took a harrowing turn. Reports indicate that Ruth and her husband, Marcus Miller, were convinced they were receiving divine messages instructing them to perform extreme acts of faith involving the water. Marcus reportedly drowned while attempting to swim to a distant sandbank after trying to walk on water.

On August 23, during the early morning hours, prosecutors claim Ruth Miller drove her four-year-old son into the lake and subsequently threw him into the water. Following this horrific act, she placed her three other children—a 15-year-old daughter and twin 18-year-old sons—into a golf cart. Accounts reveal that she initially crashed the vehicle into a wall before driving it into the lake. Although her children attempted to escape by climbing on top of the golf cart, Miller reportedly refused to assist them.

When law enforcement arrived, Miller attempted to flee but was apprehended. During her arrest, she allegedly spoke about her supposed communications with God, claiming that she purposefully drowned her son as a sacrifice to the divine. Moreover, she maintained that she had the ability to walk on water.

Ruth Miller was subsequently hospitalized for evaluation and treatment due to the traumatic events. Her children have been placed in the care of relatives. Recently released from the hospital, she has been booked into the Tuscarawas County Jail. Scheduled to appear in court next Friday, it is anticipated that her hearing may be postponed.

Her attorney has indicated that the defense will likely hinge on a claim of insanity, asserting that Miller was suffering from severe mental health issues at the time of the incident, impairing her ability to recognize the wrongfulness of her actions. As the legal proceedings unfold, this case raises significant questions about faith, mental health, and accountability, setting a potentially precedent-setting legal discourse in the realm of criminal responsibility.