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Ohio ‘House of Horrors’ mom whose 16 children were discovered locked away is pregnant again
Months after 16 children, aged between one-and-a-half and 18, were discovered and rescued after spending at least four years “kept in worse conditions than livestock” in June and their responsible adults were arrested, the mother appeared in court with a baby bump.
Elizabeth Siders made her first court appearance since she was arrested for child endangerment in a competency hearing, after her defense argued her "competency may be an issue" and could hinder the trial.
The mother's attorney, Thomas Stolly, had filed a motion seeking a competency evaluation for his client “to determine if she is not guilty by reason of insanity, because she was suffering from a condition which would produce legal insanity at the time of the alleged offenses.”
He also added that he believed she “may be suffering from significant mental health issues” and that her “competency may be an issue and a clear impediment to [her] ability to assist in her own defense.”
Elizabeth stunned reporters when she arrived in court with a large pregnancy bump
While a Vinton County judge ruled that Elizabeth is competent to stand trial, many were shocked to learn that the mother of 16 was pregnant again.
ABC 6 reported that attorney Thomas Stolly could not confirm how far along Elizabeth Siders is in her pregnancy or when her due date is. However, given that she has been behind bars since June, it can be assumed she is at least six months along.
After being arrested at their family home, the children's father, Gary Siders Jr., 36, mother Elizabeth Siders, 33, and grandmother Christina Siders, 77, were charged with 19 counts of child endangerment each and the mother and father were both charged with two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
However, they have all since pleaded not guilty.
Gary Siders, the children's grandfather, was initially charged with 16 counts of child endangerment, but his case was dismissed in October after he was found incompetent to stand trial.
Elizabeth's mother-in-law was ruled unfit to stand trial
Christina Siders, the grandmother and owner of the home where the children were rescued, was deemed unfit to stand trial during her competency hearing. Judge Laina Fetherolf Rogers then ordered that Christina be sent to an inpatient facility to begin receiving treatment.
This means that only two of the allegedly responsible adults will be formally prosecuted for their crimes against the children.
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 is expected to 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.
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.
They are now believed to be under the care of the state.