DON’T SEND THEM BACK—TURPIN ‘HOUSE OF HORR0RS’ PROSECUTOR SPEAKS OUT AS EXPERT WARNS AGAINST REUNITING OHIO CHILDREN WITH MOM
Christina and Elizabeth Siders were arrested after 16 children were found living in squalor (Image: AP)
Former prosecutor with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Kim DeGonia, who prosecuted the Ohio Turpin ‘House of Horrors’ case in 2019, has shed new insight into another similar case. Elizabeth Siders, 33, along with her husband Gary Siders Jr, 36, and his parents, Gary Siders Sr, 73, and Christina Siders, 67, were arrested on June 30 for allegedly endangering their 16 children, who authorities said were living in squalid conditions.
Siders is the mom of 16 children, who were rescued from a , home. Multiple reports claimed Siders birthed 20 children, beginning at the age of 13. But as things stand, authorities have confirmed that 16 children were removed from the home. Ryan Cain called the home “disgusting”, saying it even showed signs of human excrement.
Cain believes the children were being held in a 12ft by 12ft . Officials said that some of the children could not even speak, while the others have “limited speech”.
16 children were removed from the home in Ohio (Image: NA)
Julissa Turpin recently spoke to NewsNight about her revictimization after being one of 13 children – aged 2 to 29 – who were discovered after being tortured, starved and imprisoned by their own parents, David and Louise Turpin.
Julissa’s interview came after news that Elizabeth wanted to see her children again, despite them being removed from her custody when the horrific conditions were discovered.
Speaking on Elizabeth Vargas Reports, DeGonia urged the organisations working on the much-publicised case of the rescued 16 children to practice “hypervigilance” in an effort to stop them being re-victimized.
Gary Siders Sr and Gary Siders Jr were also arrested (Image: AP)
“I just think everybody in the process needs to have their eyes and ears open, including the prosecutors,” DeGonia said. “Don’t look at this case like another file across your desk. Take the time to get to know the kids and get to know their needs.”
Responding to the news that Elizabeth wishes to see her children, DeGonia said that while she’s sure she would like to see them, she doesn’t believe it’s likely.
“I think the studies and the psychologists and the therapists who are treating those kids would agree with me that introducing these children after they have just been freed from such a traumatising situation will only re-traumatize them,” DeGonia explained.
“Being forced to rebound with the mother right now who inflicted so much pain and so much suffering on them, I don’t believe that’s the proper approach right now.”
Speaking about the Turpin case, the former prosecutor reflected on how such a high profile case can lead to revictimization for the children.
“If you put them in foster care and they’re able to be re-victimized when they’re the most highly publicised abused children in America, that’s pretty disturbing,” she explained.