Ohio authorities rescue 16 children living inside home, Parents, grandparents charged

Advertisement

New-Delhi: In a shocking alleged child abuse case, authorities in the US state of Ohio rescued 16 children from a severely dilapidated home where they had reportedly been living in one confined room for years.

The officials said that all of the children were of the same family. The children ranged from ages 1.5 to 18 and included both boys and girls, officials said. Police believe they had been kept inside a single 12-foot by 12-foot room for nearly four years. Human waste was reportedly found inside the room and around the house, with garbage and filth covering large parts of the property.

Several were in serious conditions when found, and two had to be flown to level one trauma centers because of their injuries.

As per Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said officers had arrived at the property with a search warrant in connection with an unrelated investigation. Authorities were unaware that 16 children were living inside the house. When officers entered the property, they were stunned by what they found. Investigators later discovered that none of the children had ever been enrolled in school and very few people outside the family even knew they existed.

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said, several children struggled to speak normally due to their prolonged isolation. An 18-year-old girl with an intellectual disability was reportedly unable to write her own name. Wilson described the children’s condition by saying they “almost appeared to be feral.”

Advertisement

Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said four adults have been charged with second-degree felony child endangerment for allegedly placing the children at substantial risk of serious physical harm.

The accused are, Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders.

All four appeared before a court on Wednesday, where pleas of not guilty were entered on their behalf. The court set bail at USD 300,000 for each accused.

The incident took place in the small village of Hamden, which has a population of fewer than 1,000 people. The property is surrounded by dense trees and bushes, making it relatively isolated despite being visible from the road.

Also Read: 12 People Shot At Ohio Community Festival,Search Operation Underway

Advertisement