SerpApi.Org
The mother of 16 "feral" children who were removed from a deteriorating residence in rural Ohio allegedly posted an unusual message on her husband's social media account years before their arrests.
Elizabeth Siders, 33, her husband Gary Siders Jr, 36, and her parents-in-law, Gary Siders Sr, 73, and Christina Siders, 67, were charged with second-degree felony child endangering after authorities discovered the children - ranging in age from one and a half to 18 - residing in deplorable conditions with human waste throughout, restricted to a single room for much of the previous four years. Investigators reported that some of the children were unable to communicate verbally and one - an 18 year old who was developmentally disabled - could not even write her name.
Characterizing the scene as "disgusting," Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain stated, "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children." It comes after Elizabeth's disturbing demand as she begged to be released from jail emerged.
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Following the rescue on June 30, Ohio has been considering a proposed $1 million emergency funding package for the 16 kids.
It has now emerged that back in June 2014, Elizabeth made an unusual request on Gary Jr's Facebook account. A post dated June 5, 2014, read, "this is elizabeth i dont want any one putting pictures of me on facebook every one if you have any pictures of me on here please take them off here !" The woman would have been 21 at the time.
Authorities discovered the children during the execution of a search warrant in an unrelated investigation, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson announced at a news conference. Officials indicated it appeared no one beyond the family was aware of the children's existence, as they weren't registered in any school system.
"We didn't know there were going to be 16 kids there," said Wilson, who struggled to articulate what officials encountered in the tiny village of Hamden, located in one of Ohio's poorest counties. "It's the type of thing that we're not used to seeing here in America," he said.
The sheriff reported it appears the children were confined primarily to a space measuring approximately 12 feet by 12 feet (3.5 meters by 3.5 meters). He didn't reveal the specific methods used to confine the kids within the residence, though authorities confirmed no cages were discovered on the premises.
The children's ages spanned from one and a half years to 18 years old and comprised both male and female minors, officials stated. Seven were taken to hospitals in Columbus and two were airlifted by helicopter.
One remained in critical condition while several others were hospitalized for treatment, Wilson said. "They looked like almost feral animals," Wilson said. "It was terrible."
The children were placed in temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
Vinton County prosecuting attorney William Archer stated the four adults faced second-degree felony child endangering charges because the case involves "serious physical harm."
On July 1, the two parents and grandparents made a court appearance, where a judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and established bond at $300,000 each. They were due to return to the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas for preliminary hearings on July 7.
The four defendants, however, waived their rights to those preliminary hearings moments before the proceedings were set to start. Steve Irwin, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office, declined to confirm whether all of the children are siblings or specify their relationships.
Authorities said family members had relocated throughout southern Ohio over the previous two decades and appeared to have deliberately avoided establishing medical and government records. "These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids," Wilson said.
Officials were examining whether the family had been reported to any children's services agencies previously.
Neighbor Joseph Stewart, 60, said he saw "no kids at all" since the family arrived three houses away and that he had an unobstructed view of the home and yard when driving past. "It's a sad situation," Stewart, who has resided on the street for six years and described it as "a quiet neighborhood," said. Meanwhile, a cop's one haunting word when they saw first saw the Ohio 'house of horrors' and 16 'feral' kids was revealed.
