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Gary Siders Jr. , the father of 16 children, discovered living in horrific conditions, who was recently taken into custody, gestured and indicated his affection for his wife, Elizabeth Siders, as he was processed at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, according to newly released footage.
The footage depicts Siders Jr. , 36, seated alone in a chair before a desk, dressed in the facility's orange jumpsuit. He abruptly turns sideways to communicate with his wife, Elizabeth, 33, that he loves her.
At one moment, he touches his finger to his eye, then his heart, before pointing toward her, conveying "I love you." It's unknown whether Elizabeth noticed him or reciprocated the gesture.
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Elizabeth and Siders Jr. were taken into custody earlier this month, along with his parents, Gary Siders Sr. , 73, and Christina Siders, 67, in Ohio and face second-degree felony child endangering charges.
Their 16 sons and daughters, ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years, were discovered in a "disgusting" residence under "deplorable" circumstances within a compact, rural dwelling in Hamden, a small village in southeastern Ohio with approximately 727 residents.
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain stated the residence showed evidence of human excrement and suspects the 16 children were confined to a 12ft by 12ft space for roughly four years. The alleged mistreatment reached such severe levels, the sheriff noted, that some of the younger children could barely communicate and possessed "limited" verbal abilities.
"Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," Cain said at a news conference. Meanwhile, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, visibly shaken by what he had witnessed, stated he could not get the smell of the home "away from me," characterizing the scenes as "pure evil."
The children were transported to the hospital. Some were discovered in critical condition and required hospitalization, while others were examined and subsequently released. Two of the children were transferred to trauma centers given the severity of their injuries.
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None of the children had ever been enrolled in school, and the oldest was unable to spell her own name. She was described as developmentally disabled.
A Vinton County judge entered not guilty pleas on behalf of all four defendants. Each was held on a $300,000 bond and prohibited from contacting one another or their children.
Prior to the discovery of the conditions inside the home, Siders Jr. had already been the subject of an unrelated warrant. Court records reveal a warrant had been issued against Siders stemming from misdemeanor indecent exposure charges connected to alleged incidents in May.
Attorney Tamara Holder pointed out that multiple individuals would have witnessed or been involved with Siders' alleged indecent exposure. "This means that on four separate occasions, at least one person from outside the house witnessed strange conduct," she said.
"We have also learned that in 2022, Elizabeth Siders gave birth to conjoined twins. Presumably, people within the medical profession had knowledge about the woman's inability to care for herself. The red flags were everywhere, but they were ignored."
Court records reveal that Elizabeth Siders wed Gary Siders Jr. in March 2008 at just 15 years of age, with her parents' consent. Documents indicate she gave birth to their first daughter, now 18, only two months after the marriage.
If you suspect child abuse, immediately call 911 for emergencies or contact local child protective services (CPS) or police. You can also call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Reports can often be made anonymously to help protect children from further harm.
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