BUCYRUS — A married couple from Crestline were arraigned in Crawford County Common Pleas Court Monday on several felony charges. The two were arraigned via video from the Crawford County Justice Center.
Katrina Miller, 36, and John Miller, 35, were arraigned in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on several felonies. The couple was arraigned via video from the Crawford County Justice Center.
According to the indictment, Katrina Miller and her husband, John, are individually charged with one count of kidnapping, a first-degree felony punishable with up to 11 years in prison, one count each of felonious assault, a second-degree felony punishable with up to eight years in prison and three counts of child endangerment, each third-degree felonies punishable with up to 36 months in prison.
Additionally, John Miller was charged with one count of domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable with up to six months in jail.
According to allegations, John Miller is the biological father of a 13-year-old child whom his wife Katrina adopted. The Millers also have a three-year-old child in the home.
Prosecutor Matt Crall told the court that the 13-year-old child had been held in the home without proper food for a long period of time. Crall said the boy escaped the home and went to another home for help.
Police were alerted and the child was taken immediately for medical treatment. According to Crall, the child was only allowed a bowl of grapes and almonds to eat. Crall said the child was severely malnourished weighing only 65 pounds.
Crall further related that some years ago the child, who was home schooled, was diagnosed with leukemia. However, his parents did not follow-up with Children’s Hospital for treatment for the boy.
The child is currently in Children’s Hospital in Columbus where Crall said he will be a patient for some time as they try to integrate a proper diet. According to Crall, other than being at home, the child did attend church.
Cameras were posted on the child to make sure there were no attempts to get food other than the grapes and almonds. The couple’s younger child was showing less severe signs of malnutrition and was removed from the home as well. The additional domestic violence charge stems from when the father assaulted his son after a previous escape attempt.
Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold reviewed photos of the child submitted to the court by prosecutors.
“These photos are shocking. Looking at this child I cannot even tell the sex of the child due to emaciation,” Leuthold said. “I can see the shoulder blades, the vertebrae, and every rib in the body. His arms are probably 2-3 inches around. His eyes are sunken. This young man looks extremely ill. I’ve never seen pictures like this that don’t involve an atrocity. His legs are maybe three inches around and hips maybe six inches. There are no words, this looks like a child who is clearly starving.”
Crall told the court that the hospital did a test to measure at what point this child would be considered flourishing. With the normal score of 20 as healthy, Crall said the child tested at a .1.
Before setting bond, Leuthold said the couple is considered innocent until proven guilty. Due to the seriousness of the alleged crimes and the fact that two children are involved, Leuthold set bond for each of the defendants at $500,000. The court appointed attorney John Motter to represent Johnathon Miller and attorney Sebastian Berger to represent Katrina Miller. The couple remains incarcerated at the Crawford County Justice Center.