The woman was jailed Saturday with bail set at $1 million pending a Superior Court appearance.

The coroner ruled four years ago that the boy's death was caused by a respiratory infection, but the case remained open as investigators sought more information, sheriff's Deputy Scott Wilson said.

The 43-year-old woman was arrested as she returned to Kitsap County for medical treatment from Liberia, where she and her family worked in a Christian ministry, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.

Neighbors said she was polite and helpful but added that the family kept to themselves and that children in the household were home schooled.

"They had apparently 11 foster kids over there, plus three of their own, and we barely heard them," Danita Hughes said. "They lived a very simple life. They raised their fruit and vegetables on their property, they had cows, goats, got their milk that way, pretty much lived off the land."

Hughes said she remembered one of the children dying after being injured for some reason about four years ago.

"My husband went over to try to help," Hughes said. "She believed in no medical help. It was just home remedy-type stuff."