Prosecutors Claim Woman Killed 2 Children Who Were Riding in Amish Buggy — Then Her Twin Sister Tried to Take Blame

A Minnesota woman facing over a dozen felony charges over the deaths of two children in an Amish buggy crash has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, according to multiple news reports.

Sarah Peterson pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Feb. 4 to two counts of criminal vehicular operation in connection with the 2023 crash after initially having been charged with 16 counts, local news outlets KARE 11 and KTSP-TV report, citing Fillmore County court records.

On Sept. 25, 2023, Sarah’s twin sister, Samantha Peterson, was behind the wheel of an SUV that crashed into a buggy carrying four children in Sumner Township, prosecutors said, per KTSP. The crash claimed the lives of two of those children, identified by authorities as 7-year-old Wilma Miller and 11-year-old Irma Miller.

According to investigators, Sarah attempted to take the blame for the crash by claiming to authorities that she was driving the SUV, rather than her sister, KTSP-TV reports, citing court documents. The documents state Samantha was seen by witnesses wearing a shirt they believe the driver had on at the time of the crash. 

“As the days continued beyond that first day where the crash was reported, inconsistencies started to appear in both sisters’ stories and in the evidence that the deputies uncovered,” Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge DeGeorge said in December 2024, per CBS News.

“Later, it was determined through a series of search warrants, interviews, analysis of different data that in fact Samantha Peterson, Sarah’s twin sister, was driving that vehicle,” he added.

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Additionally, Samantha had allegedly made searches on her cell phone including, “What happens if you get in an accident with an Amish buggy and kill two people,” and  “how to lock an iPhone cops have,” per the documents cited by KTSP-TV. 

Samantha faces 21 felony charges, including criminal vehicular homicide, criminal vehicular operation, driving under the influence, failure to provide proof of insurance, careless driving and speeding, CBS News reported.

As for Sarah, she is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, according to KARE 11.