On June 30, 16 children, aged between 18 months and 18 years old, were discovered and rescued after spending at least four years “kept in worse conditions than livestock”, and their responsible adults were arrested in Ohio.

The children's father, Gary Siders Jr., 36, mother Elizabeth Siders, 33, and grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 77, were arrested and charged with 16 counts of child endangerment.

It was revealed that Elizabeth married Gary Jr. in 2008, when she was just 15, and their eldest daughter was born just two months later, leaving many members of the public fascinated by the case, claiming that she could have been indoctrinated by the Siders family.

Elizabeth Siders is the mother of the kids. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

Elizabeth's parents authorized her underage marriage

As the expectant teenager was underage, both her parents, Brian Russell and Lori Ann Russell, would have had to sign the marriage certificate, as would Gary Jr’s parents, the Siders.

Reportedly, the young mother has been estranged from her family since she joined the Siders family as a teenager, but a social media post made by Elizabeth’s mother, which has recently resurfaced, appears to prove otherwise.

A few years ago, Lori Ann Russell posted a picture of Elizabeth in which she looks unrecognizable in comparison to the mugshot that has circulated the internet. The photograph of a blonde, healthier, and less gaunt-looking Elizabeth was captioned with "Happy Birthday to my daughter Elizabeth it hard to believe. My youngest is 28 today love you, mom and dad."

Authorities missed a series of red flags that could have prevented the neglect

Sadly, authorities allegedly did not investigate the child marriage or the fact that she gave birth to her first two babies when she was still a child herself.

According to legal expert Ron O'Brien, this should have been a significant red flag for possible statutory rape, warranting questions and potentially a report to authorities.

Elizabeth is unrecognisable in a picture her mother posted for her birthday. Credit: Facebook / Lori Ann Russell

However, this was just the first of many signals that something was reportedly seriously wrong with the family. Over the next decade and a half, Elizabeth delivered nine more children at the same hospital. She then changed healthcare providers and gave birth to another four at a different hospital.

While a major investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of 16 children who resembled “feral animals” after being kept in a room of just 12 feet by 12 feet for at least four years, it is a complicated case and expected to take some time.

During a press conference just days after the gut-wrenching discovery, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson and Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain warned the public, who have been gripped by the case, that the investigation could take some time.

The primary reason for the expected delay in prosecution is that the children are believed to have very limited communication skills, with some of the 16 children being completely mute.

Featured image credit: Facebook / Lori Ann Russell

Following the arrest of four family members after 16 children were found “kept in worse conditions than livestock”, questions have been raised over the welfare of the mother who began birthing the brood aged just 15.

The children, aged between one-and-a-half and 18, were discovered inside a crumbling house by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio on Tuesday, June 30, and were described as being "kept in worse conditions than livestock”.

Heartbreakingly, the children had suffered such “serious physical harm” that two had to be flown to specialist trauma centres, while another seven were taken to Columbus Hospitals, with one admitted to the ICU and intubated.

Elizabeth Siders is the mother of the kids. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

The four adults arrested are the children's closest family members

The children's father, Gary Siders Jr., 36, mother Elizabeth Siders, 33, and grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 77, were arrested and charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. However, they have all since pleaded not guilty.

Elizabeth’s attorney Thomas Stolly told the Associated Press that Elizabeth married Gary II in 2008, when she was just 15, and their eldest daughter was born just two months later.

As she was underage, both her parents, Brian Russell and Lori Ann Russell, would have had to sign the marriage certificate, as would Gary Jr’s parents, the Siders.

The elder Siders are believed to have four daughters “quite a bit older” than Gary Jr, who did not remain in close contact with their parents and were shocked when they found out about the hidden children and subsequent arrests.

Family members have spoken out about Elizabeth's possible indoctrination

Ronnie Fletcher, the husband of one of Siders Sr. and Christina’s daughters, claimed his family was completely unaware of the horrific conditions at the Ohio home and only learnt about the arrests through news reports.

Elizabeth told the lawyer all 16 children are hers and that she married Gary Siders Jr. when she was just 15 years old. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

The estranged family member told WOWK-TV that he was “Horrified. Worried about the kids.”

“It’s hard to explain the action when you’re distant family. What can I do to help? That was the original reaction to it,” he added.

Fletcher also revealed that Elizabeth had a difficult home life before marrying into the Siders family, saying: “She’s willingly there at the home. She did not have a very good home life when they got together, and she escaped.”

Another man who claimed on social media to be Elizabeth’s brother said she had been “indoctrinated” by the family before she became pregnant and married into the family as a teenager.

Also, on an episode of Jesse Weber Live, host Jesse Weber and former lead trial prosecutor Tommy Pope debated if her background could act as a legal defense.

Weber said: “So, child bride, indoctrinated, had her first baby, allegedly at 13. Is any of this a defense?”

Pope responded with: “I don’t know that it’s a defense. I think it can break down strategically, even on how you trial them, whether everybody has a separate trial, whether they’re in there together.”

Featured image credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

On June 30, 16 children, aged between 18 months and 18 years old, were discovered and rescued after spending at least four years “kept in worse conditions than livestock”, and their responsible adults were arrested in Ohio.

The latest twist in the gut-wrenching story, which has gripped the nation, is that the children’s uncle, Elizabeth Siders’ brother, has spoken out about what happened to his sister and claimed that “everyone knew about it”.

Heartbreakingly, the children had suffered such “serious physical harm” that two had to be flown to specialist trauma centres, while another seven were taken to Columbus Hospitals, with one admitted to the ICU and intubated.

Elizabeth Siders is the mother of the kids. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

The children's father, Gary Siders Jr., 36, mother Elizabeth Siders, 33, and grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 77, were arrested and charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. However, they have all since pleaded not guilty.

Many people believe Elizabeth was manipulated by the Siders family

Elizabeth’s attorney Thomas Stolly told the Associated Press that Elizabeth married Gary II in 2008, when she was just 15, and their eldest daughter was born just two months later, leaving many members of the public fascinated by the case believing that she was indoctrinated by the Siders family.

As the expectant teenager was underage, both her parents, Brian Russell and Lori Ann Russell, would have had to sign the marriage certificate, as would Gary Jr’s parents, the Siders.

In a shocking revelation posted on social media by Elizabeth’s brother Jeremy Russell, the estranged family member claimed that his sister was indoctrinated and everyone knew about it.

In a series of posts, he said: “My sister just rapped her life up. Due to indoctrination. It is 100 per cent real.”

Jeremy Russell had not seen his sister for 15 years. Credit: Facebook / Jeremy Russell

The estranged siblings had recently reconnected

According to Russell, the siblings recently reconnected after 15 years without contact. Recalling the moment he saw his sister and her husband, he said: “I met this dude couple months ago. Shook my hand like a baby would, super soft hands. Definitely never worked a day in his life.

“I should have took him out that night. I was thinking about it but my sister. I was happy to see. Been 15 years. You lost touch with your family followed another look what happened.”

In another bold statement posted to Facebook, Russell claimed that his sister Elizabeth has 20 children, although this has not been confirmed by any officials, and only 16 children were removed from the Siders’ home.

In an attempt to silence the inevitable keyboard warriors that would criticize him for not trying to help his sister and her children, Russell told his now 6.7k followers: “I love my sister, however everyone knew about it.”

He also wrote: “I told everyone, welfare supporters to the maximum. So the state knows something. I don’t get it, just leave me alone.”

Featured image credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

A lawyer has opened up on what it was like to speak to Elizabeth Siders, the mom in the Ohio 'house of horrors' case, where 16 children were found in conditions similar to the "third world."

The kids, aged between 18 months and 18 years old, were discovered in the feces-filled rural home by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio on June 30.

More details have emerged since the home was found in a horrific state, as the children were described as being "kept in worse conditions than livestock”.

The children were found in a 12-by-12 room which was crumbling, as investigators noted that the children had also suffered “serious physical harm.”

Investigators said that the crime was an "intrafamily" case, suggesting that some of the children in the house may have come from sexual relations within the family.

But now, a lawyer has opened up on what the mother of these kids was really like.

Gary Siders Jr. and and Elizabeth Siders have been handed child felony charges. Credit: Southeast Ohio Jail

Elizabeth Siders' lawyer spoke about meeting her

The attorney representing Elizabeth Siders has spoken out about how she was following her arrest.

His description surprisingly doesn't fit into the negative coverage of both her and her husband's parenting, as the attorney admitted she looked "distraught".

Thomas Stolly spoke with her for an hour and a half after she was taken into custody, telling Criminally Obsessed that she seemed "exhausted" during their meeting.

"I had no idea what I was walking into. I saw the same headlines everyone else did. At one point, the term 'pure evil' was used to describe Elizabeth and the home, and at another point, there was a comment that livestock had been treated better," he said on the show.

"I met a woman who was timid and who was exhausted. It looked like she had been crying quite a bit. She looked distraught. And she was willing to talk to me. Able to talk to me."

Why he didn't tell her about the case's coverage

Stolly said he left out the fact that the case was being heavily covered by the media, as he realised that she had no idea about how the story was being covered.

He said: "We sat down for about an hour and a half to go through the basics of this case. I asked her if she had seen any of the coverage that has been online for the better part of a day now.

"She hasn't. She does not know how the home, the conditions, the investigation is being described."

He said that this was due to how "fragile" she looked at the time, adding that she didn't fit the narrative which was built around her.

"[She's] not someone who comes across as 'pure evil,' because evil requires malice," he said, further adding: "The person that I saw there, Elizabeth, she doesn't have that in her eyes."

The property the children were found in was falling apart. Credit: X / Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson

Investigation carries on

A relative also said that he wasn't aware of there being 16 children in the home, believing there were only 10.

Two of them were sent to specialist trauma centres, while another seven were taken to Columbus Hospitals, with one admitted to the ICU and intubated.

Four family members, believed to be the children's parents and grandparents, Gary Siders Jr, 36, Elizabeth Siders, 33, Gary Siders Sr, 73, and Christina Siders, 77, have been arrested and charged with 16 counts of second-degree felony child endangerment.

All four have pleaded not guilty.

The case is currently under investigation, with all four family members set to appear back in court.

Featured image credit: Southeast Ohio Jail

A disturbing Facebook post allegedly written by the mother of the 16 children recently rescued from an Ohio home has resurfaced, years before she and three of her relatives were charged over the children's living conditions.

Elizabeth Siders, 33, along with her husband, Gary Siders Jr., 36, and his parents, Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 67, have each been charged with second-degree felony child endangering after authorities discovered 16 children living in squalid conditions inside a property in rural Vinton County.

Investigators said the children, who range in age from 18 months to 18 years old, had reportedly been confined to a single room for much of the past four years.

The home was littered with human waste, and officials said several of the children showed severe developmental delays.

One 18-year-old with developmental disabilities was reportedly unable to write her own name, while some of the younger children were unable to speak.

Describing the scene officers encountered, Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said: "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children."

Authorities are now reviewing a proposed $1 million emergency funding package to support the children following their rescue on June 30.

What did the disturbing post say?

Elizabeth Siders is the mother of the kids. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

As the investigation continues, attention has turned to an old Facebook post published on June 5, 2014, from Gary Siders Jr.'s account, which was allegedly written by Elizabeth Siders.

The post 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 !"

Elizabeth would have been 21 years old when the message was posted.

Authorities truly shocked by their findings

The property the children were found in was falling apart. Credit: X / Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson

According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's office, investigators only uncovered the children after executing a search warrant as part of an unrelated investigation.

Officials admitted they had no idea what they were about to find.

"We didn't know there were going to be 16 kids there," Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said during a press conference.

Reflecting on the conditions inside the property, Wilson added: "It's the type of thing that we're not used to seeing here in America."

Authorities believe the children spent most of their time inside a room measuring roughly 12 feet by 12 feet. While Sheriff Cain declined to explain exactly how they were kept there, he confirmed investigators did not discover any cages inside the house.

Several of the children required urgent medical attention after they were rescued. Seven were taken to hospitals in Columbus, while two others were airlifted by helicopter. Officials said one child remained in critical condition.

Wilson described the children's appearance as shocking.

"They looked like almost feral animals," he said. "It was terrible."

The children have since been placed in the temporary care of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said the four adults face second-degree felony child endangering charges because the allegations involve "serious physical harm."

During an initial court appearance on July 1, a judge entered not guilty pleas on behalf of all four defendants and set bond at $300,000 each. Although preliminary hearings had been scheduled for July 7, the defendants later waived their right to those hearings.

Investigators are still working to establish how all 16 children are related. Steve Irwin, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office, declined to confirm whether they are all siblings.

Authorities believe the family moved between communities in southern Ohio over the past two decades while avoiding contact with schools, healthcare providers and government agencies.

"These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids," Wilson said.

Investigators are also examining whether the family had ever previously come to the attention of child protection services.

One neighbour, Joseph Stewart, who has lived on the street for six years, said he had never seen any children at the property despite passing it regularly.

"No kids at all," Stewart said, describing the area as "a quiet neighborhood." He added: "It's a sad situation."

Featured Image. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail