HAMDEN, OH – Authorities in southern Ohio say they rescued 16 children from a run-down home in Hamden after finding them living in filthy conditions, including human waste, inside a single small room. The children range in age from 18 months to 18 years, and investigators said they had allegedly been confined there for much of the past four years. The parents, Elizabeth and Gary Siders Junior, and the grandparents, Christina and Gary Siders Senior, have each been charged with 16 counts of felony child endangerment. Officials said the case emerged during an unrelated search warrant last month.
What Investigators Found
Ohio Attorney-General Andy Wilson said officials were shocked by what they found inside the house and described the children as appearing severely neglected. He said the 18-year-old could not spell their own name, and he said the situation inside the home was “terrible.” The room where the children were allegedly kept was about 3.5 square metres. A broken child’s bicycle and piles of rubbish were visible outside the beige house, which was surrounded by yellow crime scene tape. Neighbors in the tiny town of fewer than 1,000 people said they had not known children were living there. One resident told WOWK 13 News that there had never been any sign of children at the property.
Family Background Revealed
More details have also emerged about the family’s background. Gary Junior married Elizabeth Russell on March 31, 2008, when she was 15 and he was 18, in Mason County, West Virginia, just across the border from Gallipolis, Ohio. At the time, West Virginia law allowed minors under 18 to marry with parental and judicial permission. The couple had their first child a few months later, according to the report. Media outlets also said Elizabeth’s schooling ended after eighth grade and Gary Junior’s after ninth grade. Several reports said Gary Junior had worked for DoorDash at some point, though the timing was unclear.
Children Now Receiving Care
After being removed from the home, the children were placed in temporary state custody and are receiving medical care as the investigation continues. Seven were taken to hospitals around Ohio for evaluations, and two were flown by care-flight services to trauma centers, with one child described as being in critical condition. Local reports said there were two sets of twins among the 16 children. Investigators also said none of the children was enrolled in school and that all had limited communication abilities, which made interviews difficult. Sheriff Ryan Cain said some of the children could communicate only in a very limited way, and others not at all.
Court Case Moves Forward
All four adults initially appeared in court and had not-guilty pleas entered on their behalf, with bond set at $300,000 each. None posted bond, and they were taken into custody. Before preliminary hearings could begin, all four waived their right to those proceedings, and special prosecutors were appointed in the case. Gary Senior later had his conditions changed after a medical episode, and prosecutors said his care could potentially bankrupt the county if he remained hospitalized. He was released on his own recognizance for treatment and would have to wear a GPS monitor if discharged. Defense attorneys for Elizabeth and Gary Senior have raised questions about health and competence, while Gary Junior also faces unrelated indecent exposure charges.
