An Amish woman charged with sexually assaulting children had
been acting as a teacher and babysitter in the community, sources say.
Eileen Miller had access to seven children while acting as a caregiver in her
Amish community near Aylmer.
Family and Children Services of St. Thomas and Elgin County investigated
alleged abuse, then referred the matter to police.
Crown Attorney Doug Walker did not want to comment on Miller's relationship to
the children she is accused of abusing.
"I'm not commenting on that," he said.
Family and Children Services and one of Miller's lawyers, Chris Bentley, also
declined to comment.
Leaders of the Amish community couldn't be reached for comment.
Miller, 33, waived a preliminary hearing last Wednesday, was released on $2,000
bail and is to appear in court March 6, when a trial date may be set.
The Amish woman faces 19 charges, including sexual assault, sexual interference,
invitation to sexual touching, assault with a pellet gun, uttering death
threats, attempting to render children insensible, unconscious or incapable of
resistance by choking, strangling or suffocating and administering a noxious
thing, specifically rotten meat, bugs and worms.
Miller's parents paid her bail last week. Her bail conditions weren't released
because of a publication ban.
Justice Michael O'Dea also imposed a ban on information that would identify the
alleged victims.
The Amish community, in which Miller lives, shuns modern technology and largely
separates itself from the outside world. Leaders have asked authorities not to
force their children to testify, saying to do so would violate their religious
principles.
The Amish have respect for civic authority, but try not to participate in the
civil legal system, said Sam Steiner, who maintains a Mennonite archives at
Wilfrid Laurier University.