An Amish leader ran a Missouri retreat as a holistic healer, but he was just charged after police uncovered a heartless truth involving an infant

Sam Shetler, an Amish retreat leader in Missouri, is facing a series of serious charges following a multi-year investigation into his leadership at the Mercy and Truth Amish and Mennonite Retreat. Prosecutors recently revoked his bond and filed additional charges on April 21, as the case against the 42-year-old continues to unfold. He has pleaded not guilty to all allegations brought against him.

The investigation into the retreat began after authorities discovered disturbing patterns of behavior under Shetler’s control. According to the Cooper County Sheriff’s Office, officials stated, “The retreat was under the control of one individual who took advantage of his position in the Amish Community to control, manipulate, coerce and force vulnerable people for his own profit in different forms,” before noting that deputies collected significant information and evidence during the search warrant.

According to People, Shetler was initially arrested in March and charged with two counts of trafficking for the purposes of forced labor and one count of first-degree sodomy. The scope of the allegations is deeply concerning, particularly regarding his purported medical practices. Shetler allegedly presented himself as a holistic doctor, despite lacking professional medical credentials.

Hearing that kids were ‘leased out’ like equipment is stomach-turning

Court documents reveal that he provided a lavender oil breathing treatment to a 6-month-old baby who had been ill for four days. After instructing the parents on how to use the oil, the baby was put down for a nap. Tragically, the parents found the infant blue and unresponsive about an hour later. The child was pronounced dead at the scene, and an autopsy later confirmed the infant died from pneumonia while suffering from multiple viruses.

Regarding the incident, the detective sergeant who investigated the case wrote in the probable cause statement, “Sam Shetler, who identifies himself as a ‘practitioner’ and carries himself as one with medical knowledge, was aware of this substantial and unjustifiable risk, which constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in this situation involving any unwell or ill child.”

This tragic outcome follows another recent case where a Florida father was arrested after his 7-month-old’s brain injury. This incident is now reflected in the additional charge of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. Beyond the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death, former attendees have provided alarming accounts of life at the retreat. Three women who stayed at the property for years while in their late teens alleged that they witnessed Shetler pulling out the teeth of a young boy.

They also reported that he forced male victims to work at his private businesses and compelled them to take up to 80 pills a day. Another woman reported that Shetler made unwanted sexual contact and threatened her with kidnapping to prevent her from leaving the retreat. As the legal process moves forward, the updated list of charges against Shetler is extensive.

In addition to the original counts, he now faces another count of trafficking for the purposes of forced labor, four counts of first-degree kidnapping, and a count of first-degree sexual abuse. It remains unclear if he has obtained legal representation to comment on these developments. For now, the situation at the Mercy and Truth Amish and Mennonite Retreat highlights the severe consequences that can arise when individuals in positions of trust exploit that authority.

It’s a heavy situation, and it’s clear that the legal system is moving to address the full extent of the harm described by investigators and witnesses.