An embattled Republican congressman accused of horrific domestic abuse of his now ex-wife and their toddler child sued a daycare last year after his daughter was rushed to a hospital covered in bruises.
Rep. Max Miller's (R-OH) daughter was taken to an emergency room with injuries "on her thighs, face, groin and vaginal area of her body and she was caused to incur psychological trauma," according to the lawsuit filed in February last year.
The complaint accused Nest Schools, a daycare provider in Westlake, Ohio, of abuse that led to the girl, who was under 2 years old, being taken to a hospital by her mother on January 27, where a member of staff alerted the police and the Department of Children and Family Services.
The alleged cause of the injuries is never clearly stated in the lawsuit, which Raw Story is the first to report on.
Instead, Miller's filing on February 5, nine days after the hospital visit, accuses the school, along with four named employees, of "failing to properly train and supervise their staff in the proper treatment of children in their care. Defendants abused and neglected a child dependent upon them for protection."
The congressman accused the defendants of assault, battery and negligence. Miller is the only complainant, with the child's mother not named. The pair's divorce was finalized four months later.
The suit claims that a subsequent investigation by county child welfare authorities corroborated Miller's allegations, citing audio and video recordings the complaint says document the alleged abuse and neglect. The content of those recordings is not detailed.
In its response, Nest Schools denied the child was "injured, brutalized or harmed in any manner while under the defendants' alleged care and supervision." Its filing denied all allegations made by Miller.
The case was dismissed in April this year. Details of any settlement were not shared publicly.
Requests for comment to Nest Schools and to Miller's attorney at the time, Paul Grieco, were not returned.
Miller's wife, Emily Moreno, and child are reportedly in hiding amid an extremely contentious divorce battle in which Miller is accused of abuse including throwing Moreno against a wall, holding a gun to her head and fracturing their daughter's collarbone.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Emily Moreno's father, has said of Miller, "He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter. If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.”
In an attempt to defend himself, Miller's legal team publicly shared a folder of documents and records intended to counter the claims. Attorneys for Emily Moreno accused him of further child abuse and potential evidence tampering by releasing the sensitive information.
Miller has denied all allegations of abuse. He is running for reelection in November and has refused to step down amid the scandal. President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed him.