A relative of the family at the center of an Ohio house of horrors says she never met the 16 children rescued from appalling conditions. Tessi Siders said during a phone interview on Wednesday: "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."
Court Appearance and Charges
The parents and grandparents appeared in court on Wednesday after being charged with more than a dozen felony counts of child endangerment. Officials identified the defendants as Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders. Each was ordered to remain in custody on a $300,000 cash bond and prohibited from contacting one another or any of the children. It is not yet known whether any have legal representation.
Discovery and Rescue
Investigators discovered the children while carrying out an unrelated investigation at the property in Hamden, a village of fewer than 1,000 residents around 60 miles southeast of Columbus. The children, aged 18 months to 18 years, included both boys and girls. Authorities transported them to hospital, where several have since been examined and released. One child was placed in intensive care, and two others were airlifted to Level One trauma centres due to the severity of their injuries.
Living Conditions
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described the home as "disgusting," covered in human faeces, with children allegedly confined to a single 12-by-12-foot room for nearly four years. "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," Cain said during a Wednesday news conference. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said he could not get the smell of the home "away from me."
Developmental Impact
Officials revealed severe developmental impacts from isolation. Some children were unable to communicate, while others had only "limited" speech. None had been enrolled in school, and the oldest child, an 18-year-old described as developmentally disabled, reportedly could not spell her own name. "Some of these children couldn’t even speak," Wilson told reporters. "They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible."
Family Background
Tessi Siders said she had not seen family members for at least eight years and met the children's mother only once. According to Wilson, the family had been "pretty good at hiding these kids" and moved around Ohio before settling in Vinton County about four years ago. The property was owned by a trust. Wilson called the scene "pure evil," adding: "Justice will be served for these children."
