The mother of 16 children rescued from squalid conditions in an Ohio home is seeking her release from jail, with her lawyer arguing that her primary wish is to reunite with the children.
Elizabeth Siders, 33, is one of four family members charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. The children, aged 1 to 18, were found living in isolation and filth in a 12-by-12 room in Hamden, Ohio. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the scene as "pure evil."
Siders' attorney, J. Thomas Stolly, filed a request for a recognizance bond last week. He contended that Siders has no prior criminal history and should be eligible for release from the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, where she is being held on a $300,000 bond.
A court filing obtained by WOWK 13 states that Siders "maintains that her principal desire (is) to reunite with her children." The filing also asserts that Siders would pose no threat to the children, as they are no longer in her care, and that she wishes to clear her name.
A judge has not yet ruled on the bond request. The children, some of whom were in serious condition upon rescue and required hospitalization, including intubation for at least one child, were airlifted to trauma centers. Authorities stated that the children, who were never enrolled in school, have limited communication skills, with some unable to speak.
The oldest child, 18, is reportedly developmentally disabled and unable to write her name. The other family members arrested and charged are grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina “Lynn” Siders, 67, along with their son Gary “Bub” Siders Jr., 36, and his wife, Elizabeth Siders. All face 16 felony counts of child endangerment.
Investigators believe Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders are the biological parents of all 16 children. The children were reportedly confined to their cramped living space for at least the past four years. Authorities characterized the conditions as "deplorable" and "third-world," suggesting that local livestock were kept in better conditions.