Ohio authorities rescued 16 children from a dilapidated home in Hamden on Wednesday, officials said.
Four adults — Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders — appeared in court on Wednesday, where a judge set bond at $300,000 each and entered not guilty pleas on their behalf, court records show.
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said the children had been confined for much of the past four years to a roughly 12-foot by 12-foot room in “deplorable conditions,” adding, “Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children.”
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said the children ranged in age from 1.5 to 18, that several were unable to speak and that an 18-year-old who was developmentally disabled could not even spell her name.
Officials said seven of the children were taken to hospitals in Columbus and two were flown to level one trauma centers; one child was in critical condition and had to be intubated, Wilson said.
Wilson said law enforcement discovered the children while executing a search warrant in an unrelated investigation and that investigators believe members of the family had moved around southern Ohio, avoided creating medical and government records, and had not enrolled the children in school.
Vinton County prosecuting attorney William Archer said the parents and grandparents were charged with second-degree felony child endangerment because it involves “serious physical harm,” and he said the case is an “intra-family situation” rather than human trafficking.
Neighbors in Hamden, a village with a population of less than 1,000, said they were shocked by the discovery; Joseph Stewart said he saw “no kids at all” since the family moved in, and Petey Angels said, “Nothing happens here.”
Wilson said his office is offering help “in any way we can,” Archer said the state is seeking temporary custody of all the children, and investigators said the probe is ongoing with additional charges expected and a tip line available at 855-BCI-OHIO.
Authorities said the children looked “almost feral,” and Attorney General Andy Wilson called the scene “almost indescribable.”
Court records show Gary Siders Jr. faced an arrest warrant prior to the search at the Vinton County home.
An attorney for one of the suspects disputed a "pure evil" characterization of the family.