Police said that the parents and grandparents of 16 children subjected them to severe neglect and horrible living conditions described as “pure evil.”
Police executed a search warrant on Tuesday at about 10 a.m. at the residence on Ohmer Street in Hamden, according to a press release from Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson.
‘I can tell you this is pure evil. What we saw down here today is pure evil.’
Inside the home they found 16 children living in a 12-by-12-foot space, and they were surrounded by human feces.
The children ranged in age from a 1-year-old to an 18-year-old and included boys and girls. Two of the children were so injured, they were flown to level 1 trauma centers. Others were evaluated and treated at local hospitals.
“Most of the livestock was kept in better condition than the children,” Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said.
Police arrested the parents and grandparents, who were identified as Gary Siders Jr., Elizabeth Siders, Gary Siders Sr., and Christina Siders.
“The conditions these children lived in were horrific, and we are sickened by it. Fortunately, this tragic chapter has closed, but their recovery will take time,” Cain added. “Our investigators will continue following the evidence wherever it leads.”
The four suspects were all charged with 17 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony.
Wilson said the children were “literally about to fall through the floor” and that many of them were unable to speak. The 18-year-old was unable to spell her name.
“I’ve been doing these types of cases for a long time. I’ve spent a big portion of my career dedicated to prosecuting these types of cases, and I can tell you this is pure evil. What we saw down here today is pure evil,” Wilson said.
The home was described as having an area of only 1,300 square feet with a total of five rooms, and it was owned by a trust of a deceased women.
Investigators said that the Siders moved between various properties in Ohio since 2008 and avoided establishing government and medical records during that time.
“This case continues to reveal the unimaginable conditions these children were forced to endure,” Wilson added Wednesday.
“Our focus remains on protecting these children, supporting their recovery, and ensuring everyone responsible is held fully accountable under Ohio law,” he continued.
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Investigators said the case did not appear to involve human trafficking, but was instead one of “prolonged and extreme interfamilial neglect and abuse.”
The four suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court hearing Wednesday, where they appeared via Zoom. A judge set cash bail for each at $300,000.
The Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office may file further charges after more information is discovered. If convicted, the suspects could face up to 12 years in prison for each count, which would be 204 years.
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