Tuscarawas County, August 27: In a shocking incident, a woman allegedly ordered her husband to jump into a lake after believing they "didn't have enough faith" in God. The 45-year-old man reportedly drowned while attempting a so-called “test” of devotion. Following this, the woman allegedly threw her four-year-old son into the water as an “offering to God” after her husband allegedly failed the test of faith. The tragic events unfolded at Atwood Lake, Ohio, and Sheriff Orvis Campbell described the case as driven by a "spiritual delusion".

The woman later drove a golf cart into the lake with three of her teenage children on board, who managed to escape safely. According to The Mirror report, witnesses saw the woman and her children praying near the water before the golf cart crash, and some described the scene as emotionally disturbing. Responding rangers noted that the woman refused immediate assistance, insisting that people pray instead, which further indicated the situation was more than a simple accident. US Shocker: 76-Year-Old Man Dies After Falling in Parking in New Jersey After Flirty Meta AI Chatbot Poses As Real Person and Requests To Meet in NYC.

NBC News reported that the woman admitted to investigators that she believed God was commanding her to carry out tests of faith, which included forcing her husband and young son into the lake. Marcus Miller drowned while trying to swim to a sandbar, and the four-year-old, Vincen, was allegedly thrown into the water as an offering. Sheriff Campbell explained that the woman considered these acts necessary to demonstrate the family’s devotion, describing the tasks as “bizarre” and spiritually driven. US Shocker: 7-Month-Old Baby Goes Missing After Mother Claims Attack in Parking Lot in California, Parents Arrested.

The mother then instructed her teenage children, a 15-year-old daughter and 18-year-old twin sons, to perform religious exercises at the lake and pray for their father and brother, whom she claimed had “gone to Heaven.” Authorities confirmed that the surviving teenagers are now in the care of relatives, while the mother remains hospitalised for a mental health evaluation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2025 09:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).