Gary Siders Jr., 36, who is accused of keeping 16 children in deplorable conditions in Vinton County, Ohio, was also sought for indecent exposure incidents that occurred in May, according to court documents. Records indicate Siders exposed himself to individuals outside the residence on at least four occasions between May 23 and May 31.
The criminal complaint for the indecent exposure charges was filed on June 30, the same day authorities executed a search warrant at the home. The warrant revealed the alleged squalor in which Siders, his wife Elizabeth Siders, 33, and his parents, Gary Sr., 73, and Christina, 66, kept the children. Officials described the children, who ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years, as "almost feral."
Authorities reported that the children were found isolated in a 12-foot by 12-foot room that was littered with human waste. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson stated that some of the children struggled with basic communication skills, noting that the 18-year-old was unable to spell her name. Seven of the children were hospitalized, with two requiring treatment at trauma centers. One child was in critical condition.
Siders, his wife, and his parents have each been arrested and face multiple charges of child endangerment. Each suspect could face up to 16 counts of child endangerment and carry bonds of $300,000. If convicted, they could each face a maximum sentence of up to 192 years in prison.
Records indicate that Gary Siders Jr. was 18 years old and had completed ninth grade when he married Elizabeth in 2008. She was 15 at the time of their marriage, according to Mason County, West Virginia records. Their eldest child was reportedly born two months after the marriage.
It remains unclear if Siders and his wife are the biological parents of all 16 children. However, Elizabeth Siders' attorney has stated his belief that she is the mother of all the children found in the home.
Siders is scheduled to appear in court on July 23 for the public indecency charges.