WARNING – DISTRESSING CONTENT: Gary Siders Jr., the dad of 16 children living in a house of horrors that was recently arrested, waved and signaled he loved his wife, Elizabeth Siders, as he was booked into the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, a new chilling video shows.
The video shows Siders Jr., 36, sitting in a chair by himself in front of a desk, wearing the jail’s orange uniform. He suddenly turns to the side to signal his wife, Elizabeth, 33, that he loves her (Image: pinkstaffie/x)
Gary Siders Jr., the dad of 16 children living in a house of horrors that was recently arrested, waved and signaled he loved his wife, Elizabeth Siders, as he was booked into the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, a new chilling video shows.
The video shows Siders Jr., 36, sitting in a chair by himself in front of a desk, wearing the jail’s orange uniform. He suddenly turns to the side to signal his wife, , 33, that he loves her.
At one point, he turns his finger to his eye, then his heart, and then points at her, “I love you.” It remains unclear whether Elizabeth saw him or if she responded.
Elizabeth and Siders Jr. were arrested earlier this month, alongside his parents, Gary Siders S.r, 73, and Christina Siders, 67, in and charged with second-degree felony child endangering.
Their 16 boys and girls, whose ages range from 18 months to 18 years, were found in a “disgusting” home in “deplorable” conditions inside a small, rural house in Hamden, a small village in southeastern Ohio that has a population of around 727 people.
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said the home had signs of human excrement and believes the 16 children were kept in a 12ft by 12ft room for around four years. The alleged abuse went to such extreme extents, the sheriff said, that some of the younger children were barely able to communicate and had “limited” speech.
“Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children,” Cain said at a news conference. Meanwhile, shocked by what he had seen, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said he could not get the smell of the home “away from me,” describing the scenes as “pure evil.”
The children were taken to the hospital. Some were found in critical condition and were hospitalized, while others were examined and released. Two of the children were taken to trauma centers due to the extent of their injuries.
Elizabeth and Siders Jr. were arrested earlier this month, alongside his parents, Gary Siders S.r, 73, and Christina Siders, 67, in Ohio and charged with second-degree felony child endangering (Image: Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail)
The children had never been enrolled in school, and the eldest could not spell her own name. She was described as developmentally disabled.
A judge in Vinton County entered not guilty pleas on behalf of the four defendants. Each of them was being held on a $300,000 bond and were prohibited from contacting one another or their children
Siders Jr. was the subject of an unrelated warrant before the discovery of what was happening inside the home. Court records show a warrant was issued for Siders stemming from misdemeanor indecent exposure charges related to alleged incidents back in May.
Attorney Tamara Holder noted that several people would have seen or been involved with Sider’s alleged indecent exposure. “This means that on four separate occasions, at least one person from outside the house witnessed strange conduct,” she said.
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said the home had signs of human excrement and believes the 16 children were kept in a 12ft by 12ft room for around four years (Image: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
“We have also learned that in 2022, Elizabeth Siders gave birth to conjoined twins. Presumably, people within the medical profession had knowledge about the woman’s inability to care for herself. The red flags were everywhere, but they were ignored.”
Elizabeth Siders married Gary Siders Jr. in March 2008 at age 15, according to court records. Her parents consented to the marriage. Records show that she gave birth to their first daughter, who is now 18, just two months later.
If you suspect child abuse, immediately call 911 for emergencies or contact local child protective services (CPS) or police. You can also call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Reports can often be made anonymously to help protect children from further harm.