A neighbor who lived just a few houses away from the Ohio home where 16 children were discovered living in horrific conditions has revealed he had no idea they were there.

Authorities say the children, who ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years old, had been living in a dilapidated home in Hamden, Ohio, surrounded by human waste and confined to a single room for much of the past four years. Officials said some of the children were unable to speak, while one 18-year-old with developmental disabilities could not even write her own name.

The children's parents, Gary Siders Jr. and Christina Siders, along with grandparents Gary Siders Sr. and Elizabeth Siders, have each been charged with felony child endangering. A judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf Wednesday and set bond at $300,000 each. They have not yet been assigned attorneys.

Neighbor says he never saw the children

Neighbor Joseph Stewart, 60, said he was stunned after learning what authorities had uncovered just three houses away.

"I saw no kids at all" since the family moved into the home, Stewart told The Associated Press, explaining that he could clearly see the house and yard whenever he passed by.

"It's a sad situation," he added, describing the area as."

The property sits along a road beside a steep railroad embankment. While neighboring homes are separated by trees and thick brush, the house itself is visible from the road.

On Wednesday, the home's doors and windows were left open as investigators continued their work. Trash could be seen inside, while the yard contained piles of discarded items, including tires, a high chair, two broken bicycles, a plastic play table, a beach pail, and two infant carriers.

Officials describe horrifying conditions

Authorities discovered the children Tuesday while serving a search warrant connected to an unrelated investigation, according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson.

"We didn't know there were going to be 16 kids there," Wilson said.

Officials said the children were not enrolled in school and appeared to have been hidden from public view for years.

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

Investigators are also reviewing whether the family had ever been reported to children's services agencies.

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

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said the children had apparently spent most of their time inside a room measuring roughly 12 feet by 12 feet. Although investigators did not find cages inside the home, Cain described what deputies encountered as shocking.

"Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," Cain said. "Just a disgusting scene."

Wilson also described the children's appearance after they were rescued.

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

Seven children were transported to hospitals in Columbus, while two others were flown by helicopter. Officials said one child was in critical condition Tuesday, while several others were admitted for treatment. All 16 children are now in the temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.

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

Officials said the children are all members of the same family, although authorities have not disclosed the exact relationship between each child.

Featured image credit: Douglas Sacha / Getty

A first responder who helped rescue the 16 children from an Ohio home where they were allegedly "left to rot" has revealed whether any of them spoke to him on the way to the hospital.

On Tuesday (June 30), the Vinton County Sheriff's Office discovered 16 children, aged between one and 18, at a small home in Hamden after executing a search warrant linked to a separate criminal investigation that began four to six weeks earlier.

The children were allegedly confined to a single 12-foot-by-12-foot room surrounded by human waste.

The children's parents, Gary Siders Jr., 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, along with grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 77, were arrested at the scene and each charged with 16 counts of child endangerment.

The property the children were found in was falling apart. Credit: WSYX ABC 6

First responder recalls children's heartbreaking condition

An acting fire public information officer who drove four of the children to the hospital spoke about the 20-minute journey.

"It was just quiet... blank expressions," he said. "Of course, they were scared. They've never endured anything like that before. They didn't know where they were going, you know, that kind of situation."

He was asked whether the children spoke to him during the ride, and he said: "They didn't speak to me. I try to have limited contact, unless I was asked to help."

He also recalled the children's heartbreaking condition, saying the house had "cockroaches and stuff like that," adding: "Bugs just in general and the conditions, you know, bugs get on the children and stuff and they scratch, and they bite and all that stuff. So, their condition wasn't the greatest."

Elizabeth's attorney, Thomas Stolly, confirmed that all 16 children are hers and that she married Siders Jr. when she was just 15 years old.

According to court records, the children are aged 18, 16, 15, 14, 13, 11, 10, 8, 6, 5, four-year-old twins, two-year-old twins, and one-year-old twins.

Investigators believe they had been living in those poor conditions for at least four years and say none of the children had ever been enrolled in school.

"One of the investigative challenges is that [the children] are limited. They can communicate, but it's extremely limited, and some not at all," Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said during a news conference.

Seven of the children were taken to hospitals in the Columbus area following the rescue, while two were airlifted to Level I trauma centers by helicopter.

One child was reported to be in critical condition.

Judge issues a warning to all four defendants

During a court hearing on July 1, all four defendants formally pleaded not guilty.

Judge Laina Fetherolf Rogers ordered that they have no contact with one another or with any of the children if released from custody.

"They [prosecutors] are asking that you have no contact with your co-defendants – that means each other. I presume the jail will keep you from having contact with the other two co-defendants if you remain in jail," she said.

"No contact with the alleged victims of the offence; and if you are released, that you be fitted with a GPS monitor at state’s expense."

The judge also explained the legal meaning of each plea available to the defendants.

"You have four pleas available to you. A plea of guilty is a complete admission of your guilt. A not guilty plea is a complete denial of your guilt. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is an admission to the facts that underlie the complaint," she said.

"If you plead no contest, the state would give me a statement of facts, and it would be up to the court to determine whether or not you were guilty of the charged offences based on those facts."

The judge confirmed that all four bonds are set at $300,000, and each charge could land a prison sentence of two to eight years.

If each of the four family members is found guilty on all counts, they could face 192 years in prison individually.

Featured image credit: WSYX ABC 6

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 relative of the 16 children found in a feces-filled rural Ohio home made a shocking admission about the discovery.

More details have emerged about the horrific situation, as the adults responsible for the kids have been arrested on child felony charges.

The children were found in a 12 x 12 room which was crumbling, with all 16 aged between one-and-a-half and 18.

After being found by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio on Tuesday (June 30), they were described as being "kept in worse conditions than livestock”.

As a result of the awful conditions, the children suffered “serious physical harm,” resulting in two being sent to specialist trauma centres, while another seven were taken to Columbus Hospitals, with one admitted to the ICU and intubated.

Now, a relative said they were not aware that there were 16 of the "almost feral" children living in the tiny home.

The property the children were found in was falling apart. Credit: WSYX ABC 6

Relative speaks out about discovery

Authorities found the children, aged between one and 18 years old, living at the family’s neglected Vinton County home last week.

Ohio Authorities have arrested and charged four family members after discovering the children in the rural home.

These 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.

Ronnie Fletcher, who is married to the grandparents' adult daughters, said while they knew the couple had a large family, he only believed there were 10 children.

Speaking to local news outlet WOWK 13, he admitted that he only learned of the 16 children when news of the arrests broke.

He explained that the news left the extended family “horrified” and “worried about the kids,” adding: “It’s been awful for the people that had no idea that was going on [in] the house that are related to this family.”

Fletcher claimed that relatives would have got involved if they knew what was really happening, saying: “If we would have known that it was like that in that home, we would have done something about it – even if it was just to go there and take the kids ourselves or give them money.”

But it had been almost seven years since Fletcher and his wife knew where her relatives were living, as the suspects kept the family at "arms-length."

He said: “We might have known whereabouts, like in a county or in a spot, [but] most of the time we felt like that wasn’t really the truth.”

"The last time we heard from them, we gave them a car, and that’s probably close to a year ago now – other than Lynn [Christina] calling us and asking for money or [saying] they needed help with the water bill," adding that they found out about the existence of the decrepit home on the news.

Fletcher said that at the time of the couple's oldest child's birth, around 18 years ago, the Siders raised children who became "successful members of society."

He went on: “I’ve known this family since grade school. I’ve been with their daughter for 20 years. Gary and Lynn did not raise their children that way.

“The four daughters that got out are successful members of society.”

“I can’t believe it because we always thought there was homeschooling going on,” Fletcher admitted.

“We knew they didn’t go to school, but we were always told they were being homeschooled.”

The Investigation continues

Rumors of "generational incest" have circulated online, as Fletcher further pointed out: “This is all in that one home.”

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson had also described the reported abuse as “intra-family.”

The children can barely communicate, with many found to be mute, say authorities.

Investigators said that the eldest child, 18, is developmentally disabled and struggles to write her own name.

The four suspects each pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of child endangerment on Wednesday (July 1), when a judge set their bail at $300,000 each.

If they are found guilty of all charges, each defendant could face a maximum sentence of up to 192 years behind bars.

Featured image credit: WSYX ABC 6

More information has surfaced in the horrifying Ohio 'house of horrors' case, where 16 children were found in a feces-filled rural home.

An investigation into the grim situation has revealed more details about what really happened in the home, which was found in a decrepit state.

A relative recently said they were not aware that there were 16 of the "almost feral" children living in the tiny home, believing there were only 10.

After being found by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio on June 30, the children were described as being "kept in worse conditions than livestock”.

Aged between one-and-a-half and 18, the kids were found in a 12 x 12 room which was crumbling, with authorities noting that the children had suffered “serious physical harm” in the awful conditions.

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.

But now, distant relative Ronnie Fletcher has shared more about how he has been affected by proceedings.

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

Relative speaks out about the case

Fletcher is married to a daughter of two of the suspects, Gary Siders Sr. and Christina 'Lynn' Siders, and he has not held back in speaking about the shocking discovery.

He admitted that his own family has been part of the crossfire after four members of the family were arrested.

These 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.

Speaking to WOWK-TV, Fletcher said: "'What can I do to help? - That was the original reaction to it,

"Horrified. Worried about the kids. It's hard to explain the action when you're distant family."

His words came after investigators revealed that the crime was an "intrafamily" case, which suggests that some children may have come from sexual relations within the family.

It also emerged that the children's mother, Elizabeth Siders, married Gary Jr. at 15 years old, before having a baby months later.

Findings also revealed that Elizabeth gave birth to conjoined twins who died after being born prematurely.

The four suspects each pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of child endangerment on Wednesday (July 1), when a judge set their bail at $300,000 each.

If they are found guilty of all charges, each defendant could face a maximum sentence of up to 192 years behind bars.

The rural Ohio home was found in a decrepit state. Credit: WSYX ABC 6

Fletcher's family is suffering as a result

Fletcher said that he and his wife only found out about the sick allegations when the arrests were announced last week.

The extended family had become estranged over the years, with no idea about what investigators alleged was happening in the Hamden home.

"It's been awful for the people that had no idea that was going on in the house that are related to this family," Fletcher admitted.

"I mean, we've had death threats - we've been told that we need to be put in front of an execution line of guns and... killed and burned."

He shockingly claimed that his daughters have received threats, forcing the family to delete their social media accounts out of fear.

The dad explained: "My children, my daughters, has been threatened; it's to the point we've had our pictures taken off our accounts and we've had to delete all our social media. I mean it's been awful.

"All this is taking money off our table because we can't live our normal lives because the way these people are trying to treat us on something we didn't have nothing to do with," he said, with his wife now too scared to go to work.

He asked: "How am I supposed to start a business in this community when I'm being stapled to the face of 'pure evil'?"

Featured image credit: WSYX ABC 6