Sixteen children, aged between 18 months and 18 years, have been rescued from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio after being confined to a single room in “deplorable conditions” for much of the past four years, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The discovery was made by officials while executing a search warrant for an unrelated investigation in Hamden, a village in Vinton County, reports Guardian.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the scene as “pure evil” and the worst he had encountered in his career, noting that he still “can’t get the smell off” him nearly 24 hours later.
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain stated that the children, comprising both boys and girls from the same family, appeared to have spent most of their time in a room measuring approximately 12ft by 12ft. He remarked that “most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children”, describing an environment filled with human waste and a high presence of bacteria.
Medical officials reported that the victims appeared “almost feral”. Some of the children were unable to speak, and an 18-year-old girl with developmental disabilities could not spell her name.
Nine children required hospitalisation in Columbus, including two who were flown to level one trauma centres by helicopter. One child remained in critical condition and had to be intubated.
Four adults – Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders, and Elizabeth Siders – identified as the children’s parents and grandparents, have each been charged with 16 counts of second-degree felony child endangerment.
During a court appearance on Wednesday, a judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf, and bond was set at $300,000 each.
Vinton County Prosecuting Attorney William Archer emphasised that the case is an “intra-family situation” rather than human trafficking. The state is currently seeking temporary custody of all 16 children.
Investigators revealed that the family had moved across southern Ohio over the last two decades, avoiding the creation of medical or government records. The children were not enrolled in school, and neighbours in the village of Hamden expressed total shock, stating they had never seen children on the property.
“They were pretty adept at keeping these kids out of sight and away from investigators’ eyes,” Wilson said.
