Six of the 16 siblings rescued from the Ohio 'House of Horrors' had stopped attending school years before their discovery, but authorities were unable to locate the family to address the absences, according to newly revealed court documents.
In 2021, parents Gary Siders Jr., 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, faced complaints after several of their children were labeled 'habitual truants' for routinely missing classes at Addaville Elementary School in Cheshire. Court filings indicate that despite these complaints, the parents evaded official reprimands because authorities could not track the family's whereabouts.
The six children, then between the ages of seven and 13, were noted as having been absent from school for the entire 2021-2022 academic year without legitimate excuse. Complaints filed by school attendance officer Ronald L Hammond cited the children as 'unruly' due to their habitual truancy and failure to make progress on intervention plans.
However, in January 2022, a judge overseeing the truancy case, Thomas S Moulton Jr., abruptly dismissed the matter. He stated in his filing that the parents and their six children were 'unable to be served' as their locations were 'unknown to the court.' It remains unclear if the children were subsequently re-enrolled in any school.
The Siders family, along with the children's grandparents, Christina Siders, 67, and Gary Siders Sr., 73, were arrested late last month and charged with child endangerment. All four have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The troubling conditions came to light when sheriff deputies, executing a search warrant for a separate investigation, discovered the family living in a dilapidated rented home in Hamden. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the scene as 'pure evil,' detailing piles of human waste and trash within the 1,300-square-foot home, which contained only one bathroom.
The children, ranging from 18 months to 18 years old, were found in a 12-foot-by-12-foot room. Some of the children exhibited severe neglect, with Wilson stating they 'looked like feral animals,' and some were unable to speak or walk. Seven children were hospitalized, two of whom were transported by helicopter. Officials have stated the children are now safe and receiving care.
Investigators allege that the Siders family frequently moved, did not enroll their children in schools, and avoided establishing medical and government records in an effort to conceal their situation. The Vinton County Local School District, under which the Hamden home falls, has no record of any of the Siders children being enrolled or participating in home-schooling arrangements.
Prior to their relocation to Hamden, the family resided in a three-room dwelling near Addaville Elementary. A neighbor, identified only as Melissa, told the Daily Mail that some doors in that previous residence had padlocks on the outside, and a tour of the house revealed horrifying conditions, including floors that had caved in due to urine saturation. Piles of children's clothing were reportedly found in the attic.
Christina, Elizabeth, and Gary Siders Jr. are each being held on $300,000 bond. Gary Siders Sr. was released from jail to receive hospital treatment for a serious medical condition and will be required to wear a GPS tag if released. He also faces a mental evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial and potential insanity defense.
Gary Siders Jr. is also facing separate public indecency charges related to alleged incidents in late May outside the home. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Elizabeth Siders' attorney, Tommy Stolley, is investigating whether his client could also be a victim, though she has not characterized herself as such. Stolley has suggested the situation may stem from poverty, isolation, or parents becoming overwhelmed, rather than malice, and has filed a motion for a recognizance bond for Elizabeth, who has no prior criminal history. He has contested the characterization of the children as 'feral' and the living conditions as 'pure evil,' stating there is no evidence the children were confined to the room and that they had access to phones and social media.
Attorneys for Gary Siders Jr. have requested a gag order on officials involved in the case to protect his client's right to a fair trial.