Newly unsealed court documents show county officials investigated the welfare of 16 Ohio children back in 2020 and 2021, years before police found them confined to a single room during a warrant search earlier this summer.
Authorities originally discovered the 16 children on June 30 when officers arrived at the residence to serve an arrest warrant on an adult for unrelated charges. Officials described the living conditions as “horrific,” and Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said the children were confined to one room and lived like “feral animals.” Several of the children required immediate medical treatment at regional hospitals, and all 16 are now in state custody.
Following the discovery, four adult relatives living in the home were arrested: father Gary Siders Jr., 36; mother Elizabeth Siders, 33; grandmother Christina Siders, 68; and grandfather Gary Siders Sr., 73. All four defendants received approval for competency hearings. Gary Siders Sr. was released on his own recognizance on Aug. 4…