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

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

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

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

The attorney representing the mother accused in the Ohio "House of Horrors" case has disputed some of the claims circulating about the family.

Elizabeth Siders is one of four family members charged after police found 16 children inside a home in Hamden, Ohio.

She, along with her husband, Gary Siders Jr., and Gary Siders Sr., and Christina Siders, have been charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. All four have pleaded not guilty.

Speaking to WBNS10, Elizabeth's attorney, Tommy Stolley, shared details of his first meeting with his client and challenged how the case has been portrayed online.

"There's been no evidence to suggest that the children were locked or forced to remain in the 12 by 12 room. I think this is one of the things that's been really sensationalized by the internet."

Elizabeth Siders is one of four family members charged after police found 16 children inside a home in Hamden, Ohio. Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

Lawyer says children had access to phones and social media

Stolley said the mom told him that her kids had phones, with one of the older children using social media and even having "inside jokes."

"I think the big thing with that is it doesn't jive with the way that this case has been characterised in the public," Stolley said. "When you use language like feral kids, you're imagining people that have been isolated away from human contact."

"People who have never interacted with any sort of social media, with the internet, with humans outside of their own home, or even humans in general, who completely lack the ability to use language."

"There's nothing to suggest that that is the case here," he added.

Although Stolley said he had not met the children himself, he revealed the first question Elizabeth asked after he introduced himself "was about her kids" and whether they "were OK."

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

Elizabeth said she and her husband wanted a big family

The lawyer said he believes all 16 children, who range in age from 18 months to 18 years old, are Elizabeth's and Gary Jr.'s.

According to the attorney, Elizabeth "repeatedly" told him that she and her husband "wanted a big family."

"She said that kids are a gift from God and that she was open to that," he added.

It has previously emerged that the mom married Gary in 2008 when she was 15 years old and seven months pregnant.

Mason County records show her parents, Brian Ray Russell and Lori Ann Raines, consented to the marriage.

Gary Siders Sr., 73, was released. Credit: Vinton County Sheriff’s Office

Grandfather released after medical emergency

The latest developments come after Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer announced on Wednesday (July 8) that Siders Sr. had been released on a recognizance bond following a medical emergency while being transported to a preliminary hearing.

Archer said Siders "fell and had a medical issue that required treatment and assessment."

Doctors later determined he had a "serious medical condition" requiring treatment outside the county.

"We were not going to put that burden on our taxpayers, and so it was agreed that we would do a recognizance bond so he could get the medical treatment that the doctors say he needs and won't cost the county that money," Archer said. "If he's released from then, he will then be equipped with a GPS monitor."

A recognizance bond allows a defendant to be released from jail without paying cash bail.

Stolley has also filed a motion seeking to modify Elizabeth's $300,000 bond to a recognizance bond, arguing that she cannot afford to pay it.

Featured image credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail