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4-year-old boy drowns after mother threw him in Ohio lake ‘to give him to God’
Authorities say the tragic incident unfolded after the father drowned himself, with the mother following soon after in a golf cart carrying their children.
A 40-year-old woman in the United States allegedly drowned her 4-year-old son in a lake before driving a golf cart with her three other children into the water. The incident, which took place on Saturday, followed her husband, who authorities say had already drowned himself. The husband and wife believed God was speaking to them when they jumped off a dock at Atwood Lake, where the family was camping over the weekend.
According to a New York Post report, officials believe that the Amish couple was trying to prove their faith to God and was suffering from a "spiritual delusion”.
The incident unfolded after the family returned to the campground following their early morning dip. The 45-year-old husband, Marcus J. Miller, told his wife that he was going to return to the lake and was spotted by the water at 6:30 am, as per a witness. Shortly after, at around 8:30 am, the mother placed her 4-year-old son, Vincen Miller, in a golf cart and began to drive recklessly.
The mother then took the little boy to the dock and drowned him, which she later admitted to deputies. She then allegedly drove into the lake on a golf cart carrying her three other children, including her 15-year-old daughter and 18-year-old twin sons, officials said.
Luckily, the three children got out of the water on their own and were not injured. Authorities said that the golf cart crash prompted a response by law enforcement, and ultimately, uncovered the deaths.
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Mother made “concerning statements”
When first responders began to treat the woman, she was allegedly making “concerning statements”, including that she allegedly threw her son in the water “to give him to God”. “It became evident after piecing together numerous statements from the woman, the children, and other witnesses above that foul play was suspected,” the sheriff’s office said.
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The 4-year-old and his father were eventually found dead, the sheriff said. The woman is expected to be charged with aggravated murder. She has been hospitalised for mental health concerns.
The 15-year-old and 18-year-old twins were released to family members.
