MCARTHUR, Ohio (Court TV) — The defense attorney representing a 73-year-old accused of abusing 16 children who were found living in his home says he expects charges to be dismissed against his client after a doctor ruled he was incompetent.
Gary Siders Sr. appears in court on Sept. 9, 2026. (Court TV)
Gary Siders appeared in court with his attorney on Wednesday for a competency hearing after a psychologist’s evaluation. “The report found, based on the totality of the circumstances, based on Mr. Siders’ mental health, his physical health … the deterioration that’s been pretty clear to anybody who’s been viewing this and following this that he’s simply not restorable, and that is the medical position of the psychologist who did the evaluation,” Siders’ attorney, Dorian Baum, said following the hearing.
Prosecutors had previously stipulated that they would accept the doctor’s findings, and Baum said he does not expect the government to contest his client’s incompetence. Baum insisted his client’s behavior made it clear that he would be unable to stand trial. “I would rarely get direct answers to very basic questions,” he said. “There was a concern about whether or not he had a grasp of what was going on.”
Baum said he expects prosecutors to either dismiss the charges against his client or file for civil commitment. “The prosecution against [Siders] is very likely coming to a very quick end,” Baum said, adding that he expects the state to decide within the next couple of weeks.
Siders was released from jail because of his physical health issues; he remains out of custody. Baum declined to reveal where his client is living, citing safety concerns and death threats. “We are not going to be discussing anything about his location, except to say that he is, to my understanding, in a safe location getting proper treatment.”
Trash is piled outside of the home where four members of the Siders family allegedly lived with 16 children. (Court TV)
Siders was arrested along with his wife, Elizabeth Siders, their son, Gary Siders II, and daughter-in-law Christina Siders after police said they found 16 children living in a home in “horrific” conditions. Court TV’s cameras captured trash piled outside the home where the children were found living.
Baum said he does not expect his client’s incompetence to affect Siders’ co-defendants’ cases; he also said that the finding of incompetence makes it unlikely that Gary Siders Sr. would be called as a witness in any future trial.
A judge has also ordered competency evaluations for Elizabeth, Christina and Gary Siders II at their attorneys’ request.
