Grandmother accused of forcing girl to hold Bible over head to exorcise demons

A Washington State grandmother is accused of abusing her 9-year-old granddaughter over a long period of time because she believed the young girl was possessed by a demon.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Cynthia Miller would force the girl to stand in a corner holding a Bible over her head while other family members would shout Jehovah at her in an effort to exorcise the demon.

Neighbors said they were told by the grandmother that the girl would steal from other family members.

"They would say that she was a demon child and that she was retarded all the time and that she was evil," said neighbor Amanda Gerber.

"Like, oh she's not right, the kid's crazy, the kid's this, the kid's that," said next door neighbor Brandon Terrien. "Unfortunately I think she was kind of being singled out the whole time."

Sheriff's detectives began investigating the abuse allegations when teachers at the girl's elementary school reported that she had bruises on her. Child Protective Services in California took the girl away from her mother when she was two because she was being abused and sent her to live with her grandparents in Olympia.

The girl and the two other children living at Miller's apartment were taken by Washington State Child Protective Services. Miller is being held on $40,000 bail.

[KIRO TV]