Police have rescued 16 children who 'looked like feral animals' from a tiny decaying house in Hamden, Ohio, as four adults face charges. The youngsters, aged 18 months to 18 years, were discovered by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday morning while executing a search warrant during an ongoing investigation.
The disturbing find exposed a horrific scene, with all children squeezed into a dilapidated three-and-a-half square metre dwelling smeared with human waste. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson branded the conditions 'pure evil'. The children had been confined to the house for nearly four years.
Children Incapable of Basic Functions
Wilson stated the children existed in 'conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in'. Several children were incapable of speaking, and an 18-year-old found at the property could not write her name, investigators confirmed. Wilson said: 'It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible.'
Two parents and two grandparents have each been charged with 17 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony. The accused are Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders, and Elizabeth Siders. The grim scene is in Hamden, a town of fewer than 1,000 residents, about 60 miles southeast of Columbus.
Prosecutor Vows Full Prosecution
Prosecuting attorney William Archer stated the carers inflicted 'serious physical harm'. Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain remarked: 'Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children.' Authorities confirmed the youngsters included both boys and girls. Seven were urgently transported to Columbus hospitals, with two airlifted by helicopter.
Wilson revealed one child remained in critical condition on Tuesday while others received treatment. He noted that while immediate priority centred on physical health, he recognised the psychological trauma their confinement would have caused. Authorities declined to clarify exact relationships between all youngsters but confirmed this was not a human trafficking case.
Family Evaded Authorities
The four accused are not from the area; investigators believe they moved deliberately to evade establishing medical and governmental documentation. Wilson remarked: 'These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids.' Archer declared: 'Our children deserve better from their parents, guardians, and custodians. No child should endure these kinds of conditions. My office will do everything in our power to make sure these children get the love and care they deserve. My office will prosecute these persons to the fullest extent of the law.'
Local residents reported never having seen children at the property. Joseph Stewart, 60, said he saw 'no kids at all' since the family arrived three doors from his home, despite an unobstructed view of their garden. 'It's a sad situation,' he remarked. Stewart, who has lived on the street for six years, described it as 'a quiet neighbourhood'.
Family Member Shocked
Terri Siders, a family relation, told NBC News she had no contact with them for more than eight years. 'I knew little Gary had kids, yeah. I don't remember meeting any of the kids, though. I knew they had a lot of kids through family talking years ago, but there's no way I thought they had that many kids.'
The four accused appeared at Vinton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday morning and are being held in custody with bail set at $300,000 each. Investigators suspect the Siders family has resided across several Ohio counties since 2008 and are examining whether they had previously been flagged to children's services.
