NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio (Court TV) — An Amish mother found not guilty of murdering her young son by reason of insanity will head to a secure mental hospital, just as soon as a bed is available.
Ruth Miller was found not guilty by reason of insanity on charges that she murdered her 4-year-old son and then tried to hurt her three teenage children.
Ruth Miller sits in court on March 13, 2026. (Court TV)
Judge Michael Ernest, who presided over the brief bench trial last week, heard testimony from several experts on Friday before issuing an order for Miller to be sent to Heartland Behavioral Health, a facility in Massillon, Ohio. The prosecution and defense each called two experts to testify at Friday’s hearing, but each expert recommended the same placement for Miller.
The experts did not agree on the appropriate diagnosis for Miller, with some believing she suffers from bipolar disorder; others believe she suffers from schizophrenia. “The overwhelming evidence is that she does have a mental illness,” forensic psychologist Dr. Daniel Hrinko said at Friday’s hearing.
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Miller has been receiving medications while behind bars at the jail, but has not been receiving any group or individualized therapy or services. While her symptoms are now manageable, the doctors said, Miller still appears to have a limited understanding of her mental illness and needs further education as part of her treatment. “I would be concerned that with limited insight, time away from a secure setting might put her in a position to make regrettable decisions about medications,” Hrinko said, “Which would then set the stage for a return of symptoms and the unpredictable, if not dangerous, behaviors associated with uncontrolled symptoms of mental illness.”
Heartland Behavioral Health is a secure facility, meaning individuals are not free to come and go. That security was part of why the experts who testified believed it would be a good fit for Miller.
Judge Ernest ordered Miller to be sent to Heartland Behavioral Health, but that move won’t happen immediately. There is a waiting list for beds at the facility, and the judge was unsure how quickly they could accommodate Miller. Until there is space at the hospital, she will remain at the jail.
Once in the hospital, they will be charged with determining her course of care. Miller will return to court for evaluation to determine whether she can be released in the future. The first status check will be in six months, then every two years following that.
