Neighbors living near the 16 'feral' children allegedly confined inside a 12 by 12 foot room in an Ohio 'house of horrors' have admitted they never saw any children at the property.
The children were discovered on June 30 when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the house in Hamden. Officers were said to be shocked by what they found when they entered the property.
Children aged between 18 months and 18 years were found in 'appalling' conditions, it has been reported. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson has said officers did not know children were living in the house.
Neighbors Unaware of Children
People living near the family in the small town of fewer than 1,000 people were completely oblivious to the fact there were even children residing at the property.
One neighbor 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.'
Neighbor Joseph Stewart, 60, revealed he saw 'no kids at all' since the family moved in three houses down and that he had a clear view of the home and yard when walking past. 'It's a sad situation,' said Stewart, who has lived on the street for six years and described it as 'a quiet neighborhood'.
Charges and Arrests
Gary Siders Jr. and his wife Elizabeth Siders have now been arrested and charged with second-degree felony child endangering. The children's grandparents, Gary Siders Sr. and Christina Siders are facing the same charges, reports the Mirror US.
It's alleged the youngsters had been living in one small room for at least the past four years. Investigators have discovered the eldest, an 18-year-old with developmental disabilities, was unable to even write her own name, while some of the other children were unable to speak.
The evidence in the case has been described as 'beyond comprehension' by Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. 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', remarked: 'Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children.'
Court Proceedings
The four accused — Gary Siders Sr., 73; Christina Siders, 67; Gary Siders II, 36; and Elizabeth Siders, 33 — each face 16 counts of child endangerment, a second-degree felony, according to authorities.
All four entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment, with bail set at $300,000 apiece. Officials confirmed they are expected to seek court-appointed legal representation.
The charges allege the four defendants mistreated the children, inflicting 'serious physical harm.'
Investigators have revealed that Elizabeth Siders was just 15 when she married Gary Siders Jr., giving birth to their first child just two months later.
Elizabeth's lawyer J. Thomas Stolly said that from jail, she had only 'positive things to say about husband Gary', adding they desired a 'big family.'
However, her brother, Jeremy Russell, claimed in a social media post that his sister was 'indoctrinated' as a teenager. He went on to claim the mother had 'wrapped her life up due to indoctrination,' claiming that extreme psychological control over her was '100 percent real.'
Last week, Elizabeth Siders filed a court application requesting release from custody, according to documents reviewed by WCMH. The 33-year-old wishes to be freed so she can be reunited with her children, the filing states.
Stolly stated 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.'
Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer characterised the case as an 'intra-family situation', emphasising it bore no relation to human trafficking. He confirmed the defendants were the 'grandma, grandpa, father and mother'.
School Truancy History
Attorney General Wilson has also claimed the Siders family allegedly deliberately avoided generating medical or legal documentation to prevent establishing a paper trail.
It additionally emerged last week that the older children had been 'habitually truant' from school with authorities unable to locate their parents to serve legal papers. In October 2021, the Gallia County Juvenile Court filed six complaints against Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders for failing to ensure their children attended school, according to court documents.
The court simultaneously lodged truancy complaints against the six children, who ranged in age from seven to 13 at the time. The youngsters were expected to attend Addaville Elementary School within the Gallia County Local School District.
Wilson alleged the children had not been enrolled in school, claiming the adults 'were hiding these kids' as they were aware the children were suffering neglect and would be removed from their care.
