Sixteen children from the same family were rescued Tuesday from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio, where they were found living in deplorable conditions and confined to one room for much of the past four years, authorities said.
Some of the children were unable to speak, and an 18-year-old who was developmentally disabled could not write her name, Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said. "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," Cain stated. "Just a disgusting scene."
The children, whose ages range from 1 1/2 to 18 years old, were discovered when authorities were executing a search warrant in an unrelated investigation. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the scene as "terrible," adding that some children "looked like almost feral animals."
Officials said it appeared that no one outside the family was aware of the children, who were not enrolled in school and had reportedly avoided creating medical and government records. "These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids," Wilson said.
The parents and two grandparents of the children have been charged with felony child endangerment. Vinton County prosecuting attorney William Archer said the charges are second-degree felonies due to "serious physical harm." Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders, and Elizabeth Siders appeared in court Wednesday, where a judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and set bond at $300,000 each. They have not yet been assigned lawyers.
Authorities found the children in a home in Hamden, a village with fewer than 1,000 residents about 60 miles southeast of Columbus. The children were in the temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. Seven children were transported to hospitals in Columbus, and two were flown by helicopter; one was in critical condition.
Investigators said the family had moved around southern Ohio for two decades and are reviewing whether the family had been reported to children's services agencies in the past. A neighbor, Joseph Stewart, said he had lived on the street for six years and had seen "no kids at all" since the family moved in, despite the house being visible from the road.
The discovery has drawn comparisons to past horrific cases of family abuse, including the 2019 case of David and Louise Turpin, who were found to have tortured and abused 13 children for years in California.