After 16 children, some with severe injuries, were rescued from a home full of excrement, four people, believed to be their parents and grandparents, have been charged with 17 counts of child endangerment.

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 to be "kept in worse conditions than livestock”.

Law enforcement officers described the scene as “pure evil”, while Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson told a news conference they were found in “Conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in.”

Tragically, he added, “Some of these children couldn’t even speak.”

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

Some of the children were completely mute

The area the children were held captive in for “most of the last four years” was reportedly no larger than 12 by 12 feet and had a high presence of human excrement.

The house they were found in, which is believed to belong to a deceased owner, was in such terrible condition that the children were “literally about to fall through the floor”, according to Wilson.

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.

Although the neglected brood were only thought to have been held in the decrepit Ohio property for four years, it is presumed that they had been mistreated and kept captive for the majority of their short lives, as the 18-year-old could not spell her own name and many of the others were completely mute.

Gary Siders Sr., 73, and the others face 17 total counts of child endangerment. Credit: Vinton County Sheriff’s Office

Neighbours had no idea what was going on

According to WBNS, neighbours told authorities that they were completely unaware of any children living in the home and believed that the adults who were keeping them captive were not locals and appeared to be travelling.

The neglected children were only discovered by local law enforcement while investigating another crime entirely.

While officials have not yet commented on the relationship between the children, they did confirm it was not a case of human trafficking, and the four adults responsible for their neglect have been cited as parents and grandparents, so it is assumed that they are a large group of siblings.

Since their arrest on Tuesday, Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders of Hamden, Ohio, entered not guilty pleas at a digital hearing.

Each sickening adult faces a minimum of two to eight years and a maximum of 12 years in prison for each of the 17 charges.

Featured image credit: Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson

Authorities in Ohio have arrested and charged four family members after discovering 16 children living in severe neglect in a rural home. The suspects include the parents, Gary Siders Jr., 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, as well as the grandparents, Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 67.

All four individuals face charges of second-degree felony child endangering following an investigation in Vinton County.

Law enforcement officials found the boys and girls, who range in age from 18 months to 18 years, inside a small, dilapidated house in the village of Hamden. Investigators stated that the property lacked basic sanitation and showed clear signs of human waste. Several of the children required immediate medical attention upon their rescue and were transported to nearby hospitals.

The investigation indicates that the family had been highly mobile, moving across different parts of the state before arriving in Vinton County roughly four years ago. The children were kept entirely out of the education system, with none of them enrolled in school. The oldest child, an 18-year-old with developmental disabilities, was unable to spell her own name.

Severely restricted living conditions

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described the residence as "disgusting" and noted that the conditions showed signs of human excrement. He stated that investigators believe the 16 children were restricted to a single 12ft by 12ft room for the majority of the four years they spent at the property. The isolation severely impacted their development, leaving some of the youth completely non-verbal and others with very limited speech capabilities.

"Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," Cain stated during a news conference detailing the rescue operation, per Sky News.

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson expressed shock over the situation, noting that the conditions "really looked third world" and adding that "It's just almost beyond comprehension." Wilson explained that the family managed to keep the children hidden from the community for years, using a home that was owned by a trust.

"Some of these children couldn't even speak," Wilson said regarding the state of the youth. "It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible."

Gary Siders Sr., 73, and the others face 17 total counts of child endangering. Credit: Vinton County Sheriff’s Office

Medical emergencies and legal proceedings

The children were immediately removed from the home and taken to the hospital for evaluations. While some have been examined and released into protective custody, others required urgent medical interventions. According to state officials, one child was placed in intensive care, and two others had to be flown to trauma centers due to the severity of their injuries.

The four defendants made their first court appearance in Vinton County via a video link from the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail. During the hearing, the judge entered not guilty pleas on behalf of all four family members.

The court set a bond of $300,000 for each defendant. As part of their bail conditions, the judge issued a strict order barring the parents and grandparents from having any contact with the children or with each other while the legal process moves forward.

Featured image credit: Getty Stock Images

A grandmother's chilling note was discovered after she allegedly poisoned her daughter and four grandchildren before taking her own life.

The bodies of 64-year-old Amy Steadman, her daughter Sarah Myers, 44, and Myers' four children were found inside an apartment in Mechanicville on Tuesday after a concerned neighbor requested a welfare check.

Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt said officers were called after neighbors reported not seeing Steadman for some time.

"When officers were unable to make contact with Ms. Steadman, building management was contacted and access to the apartment was obtained. Upon entering the residence, officers located six deceased individuals," Rabbitt said, per The Mirror.

Authorities later identified the victims as Myers and her children, Harper Harmon, 13, Hudson Harmon, 11, and 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon.

A mother and her four children are believed to have been poisoned by their grandmother. Credit: Sarah Myers/Facebook

Neighbor noticed a 'smell of death'

Police believe the family had been dead for an "extended period of time," with investigators initially struggling to identify the victims because of the condition of their remains.

Neighbor Stephanie Sweeney said she became worried after not hearing from the family for nearly two weeks. She said that she noticed a foul odor coming from the apartment.

"I noticed the smell of death," Sweeney said, recalling that flies had gathered around the windows and air conditioner.

She contacted police for a welfare check at around 6:20PM on Tuesday.

"I knew immediately, so I just called, I had to," she said.

Police say a grandmother is believed to have poisoned her daughter and four grandchildren before taking her own life. Credit: Facebook

Handwritten note recovered from the apartment

Although the investigation remains ongoing, Rabbitt said evidence collected at the scene points to Steadman being responsible for the deaths.

Investigators recovered evidence "to indicate intentional poisoning," including "numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications."

Police also revealed that one of the children "suffered fatal sharp force injuries," though authorities have not disclosed which child.

Officials said they have found nothing to suggest anyone from outside the family was involved and believe everything happened inside the apartment.

The contents of the handwritten note have not been released.

Police awaiting final autopsy results

Law enforcement said the causes and manners of death for all six victims remain pending while investigators await toxicology reports, final autopsy findings, and the medical examiner's conclusions.

"We understand the public's desire to identify someone to hold responsible. However, it is important that this investigation be completed thoroughly and professionally before final conclusions are reached," Rabbitt said. "There remains no threat to the public."

The police chief also confirmed the children were homeschooled rather than enrolled in public school.

"Mechanicville is a close-knit city. Many residents knew the family involved, have children and grandchildren of their own, or simply cannot comprehend the loss of six lives under such heartbreaking circumstances," he added.

The family had been involved in a custody dispute

As investigators continue working to determine what happened, social media posts offer a glimpse into the family's life before the tragedy.

Myers regularly posted photos celebrating her children and once referred to herself as "mama bear" alongside a cartoon image featuring each of them.

Steadman also frequently posted about her grandchildren, writing in one post: "Any day with a grandchild in my arms, on my lap, in my home, or on my mind is an amazing day!"

The family had also been dealing with a lengthy custody dispute between Myers and her ex-husband, Brady Harmon.

According to court records, Harmon filed for divorce in March 2020, with the case concluding two months ago. Myers was awarded sole physical custody, while the former couple shared joint legal custody.

Harmon was ordered to pay $500 per week in child support and was granted scheduled visitation during the summer months.

Less than two months later, he filed an emergency motion seeking to enforce the custody order, while records show Myers had been ordered to appear in court on June 29, 2026, in potential contempt proceedings.

Public records reviewed did not show any criminal history for Harmon.

Police are cleaning out the apartment where the horrific incident took place. Credit : WNYT News Channel 13 Albany

Father says reunion with children was days away

Harmon revealed that he had not seen his children since 2019 but had recently reached an agreement that would have allowed them to spend the summer together.

"I went from I’m seeing my kids to I’ll never see my kids again," he said. "Hope to hell. Things happen, but nothing like this."

He said police have not told him how his children died and added that he does not know who could be responsible.

The custody agreement would have allowed the children to stay with him in Utah from July 1 until September 1.

Now, the distraught father says he plans to bury them there. "I want them as far away as possible from their mother," he said.

Featured image credit: Facebook

An investigation is underway after police in Ohio raided the wrong home, and left a 17-month-old boy seriously injured.

The incident took place last Wednesday (January 10) at around 2:15PM when a swarm of cops from the Elyira Police Special Response Team burst into a home on Parmely Avenue, as reported by NBC News.

The response team deployed two diversionary devices, known as "flash-bangs," outside the residence, and found mom Courtney Price, and her 17-month-old Waylon May inside.

The incident was captured on a ring camera, and revealed that officers waited only about six seconds between the time they knocked on the door and yelled for the occupants to "come to the door".

It has been reported that police tossed two flash bangs through the window during the raid, and the grenade was placed near Price's son, who was sitting in a swing near the window, per the Daily Mail.

"I froze at the top of the steps. I kept saying, 'I'm scared. My baby's in here, he’s on a ventilator.' Then I came down the steps and they put me in handcuffs," the terrified mother said.

Price told Fox8 that firearms were pointed at her and she feared she'd be hit if she ran to her baby, recalling: "One second everything was normal, 15 seconds later our world was flipped upside down."

Once the mom was handcuffed, police took her outside, and later brought her back in to check on her baby boy. The little one was born premature and has pulmonary hypertension - a severe form of lung disease - and an atrial septal defect - which is a hole in the heart.

Bodycam footage shows her telling police and paramedics that Waylon seemed mostly fine, but she was worried about his breathing. "I mean, just the breathing isn’t normal, but like he’s OK," she said.

Elyria police disclosed in a statement that the child's mother told them that her baby had a pre-existing medical condition. Lifecare Paramedics were then called onto the scene and assessed Waylon before taking him to a nearby hospital.

Price and Waylon were sent home once the hospital said the baby's condition had "nothing to do with the raid," but the following morning, the mom said her son "quit breathing" so she adjusted his ventilator, but he didn't improve.

She then called 911 and they were taken to a hospital and transferred to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. "Then at Rainbow Babies, we were told that he needed six more liters of oxygen, his ventilator needed turned up... he had chemical pneumonitis, which is inflammation of the lungs and irritation of the lungs, and he had a chemical reaction and in and around his eyes," Price said.

A GoFundMe titled "Justice for Waylon" has been set up for the baby's medical supplies, bills, gas, and necessities.

"The negligence from Elyria Police Department caused my baby to have burned eyes, burned chest, burned arm, burned neck," Price wrote on the fundraiser site. "They caused my baby to stop breathing for a few seconds this morning. They caused my baby to struggle to breathe. They caused my baby to have to go all day without eating. They caused my baby to go through horrendous pain."

The mom wrote in an update that, as of Monday (January 14), Waylon was moved out of the ICU and moved into a regular room, noting: "He finally got to eat for the first time an hour ago. He handled it kinda well, they’re going to try to run his feeds a little slower to see if that helps him be a little more comfortable."

Price also claimed that she still hasn't gotten an apology from the Elyria police. Meanwhile, Elyria maintained that the child was not injured during the operation.

"Any allegation suggesting the child was exposed to chemical agents, lack of medical attention or negligence is not true," police said, per NBC News, adding that the flash-bangs don't produce a continuous burn, release, or have any pepper gas or chemical agents.

Elyria Mayor Kevin A. Brubaker described the frightening incident as "serious and disturbing," and announced "a complete review of the incident."

Price is accusing the Elyria Police Department of negligence and inadequate detective work.

Featured image credit: Vesnaandjic / Getty