Neighbours living near the Ohio 'house of horrors', where 16 'feral' children were allegedly confined to a 12 by 12 foot room, have made a chilling revelation about the youngsters.
The children were discovered on 30 June when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Hamden property. The officers were reportedly shocked by the conditions they encountered upon entering the house.
Children ranging from 18 months to 18 years old were found living in 'appalling' conditions, according to reports. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson stated that officers were unaware that children were residing in the house.
Children Hidden from Authorities
Wilson revealed the children weren't enrolled in school and alleged the adults 'were hiding these kids' because they knew the children were being neglected and risked being removed from their care. This comes after the mother of the 16 'feral' children made a disturbing plea for her release.
Gary Siders Jr and his wife Elizabeth Siders have since been arrested and charged with second-degree felony child endangering. The children's grandparents, Gary Siders Sr and Christina Siders, face the same charges, reports the Mirror US.
It is claimed that the children had been living in one small room for at least the past four years. Investigators found that the eldest child, an 18-year-old with developmental disabilities, couldn't even write her own name, while some of the other children were unable to speak.
Official Descriptions of Conditions
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the evidence in the case as 'beyond comprehension'. He said: 'I think if they would have waited another 24 hours, that there was a very high probability that we'd be dealing with a death or multiple deaths of these children.'
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain, who described the scene confronting officers as 'disgusting', added: 'Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children.'
It has now come to light that those living near the family in the small town with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants were oblivious to the fact that children were even living at the property.
Neighbours Unaware of Children
One local told WOWK 13 News: 'My grandkids and my kids, we've all walked up and down that street, there's never been a sign of any child. As a mother and a grandmother, I just don't understand the logic.'
Neighbour Joseph Stewart, 60, said he saw 'no kids at all' since the family moved in three houses down and that he could clearly see the home and yard when passing by. 'It's a sad situation,' Stewart, who has lived on the street for six years and called it 'a quiet neighborhood'.
Attorney General Wilson has also alleged the Siders family also purportedly avoided creating medical or legal records to prevent establishing a paper trail.
Truancy and Legal Proceedings
It also emerged last week the older children had been 'habitually truant' from school with authorities allegedly unable to track down their parents to serve legal documents. In October 2021, the Gallia County Juvenile Court filed six complaints against Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders for failing to ensure their children's school attendance, according to court documents.
At the same time, truancy complaints were lodged against the six children, who ranged in age from seven to 13. The youngsters were supposed to be attending Addaville Elementary School in the Gallia County Local School District.
Wilson has claimed that the children weren't registered in school, and accused the adults of 'hiding these kids' because they knew the children were being neglected and risked being removed from their care.
Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer characterised this case as an 'intra-family situation', emphasising it was not a human trafficking issue. He identified the defendants as the 'grandma, grandpa, father and mother'.
Charges and Court Appearances
The four people charged - Gary Siders Sr., 73; Christina Siders, 67; Gary Siders II, 36; and Elizabeth Siders, 33 - are each facing 16 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony, as per authorities.
They pleaded not guilty during their arraignment and had their bail set at $300,000 each. They are anticipated to request court-appointed legal representation, officials confirmed.
The charges allege the four defendants abused the children, inflicting 'serious physical harm.'
Investigators have revealed that Elizabeth Siders was only 15 when she married Gary Siders Jr. and gave birth to their first child two months later.
Elizabeth's solicitor, J. Thomas Stolly, revealed that from her prison cell, she had nothing but 'positive things to say about husband Gary', adding they aspired for a 'big family.'
However, her brother, Jeremy Russell, claimed in a social media post that his sister was 'indoctrinated' during her teenage years. He went on to allege the mother had 'wrapped her life up due to indoctrination,' alleging that extreme psychological control over her was '100 percent real.'
Last week, Elizabeth Siders submitted a court application requesting release from custody, according to documents scrutinised by WCMH. The 33-year-old is seeking freedom so she can be reunited with her children, the filing states.
Stolly, said in the filing: 'Through conversations with Counsel, the Defendant maintains that her principal desire [is] to reunite with her children. She understands that reunification of any sort is an impossibility if she does not appear before this Court.'
'She did not ask when she was getting out of jail. She did not ask what a timeline was for her to get out of jail. She started asking about the kids.'
