McARTHUR, Ohio (Court TV) — A septuagenarian facing more than a dozen charges of endangering children is asking for his bond to be lowered one week after his arrest.
Clockwise, from top left: Elizabeth Siders, Christina Siders, Gary Siders II and Gary Siders. (Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail)
Gary Siders, 73, is charged alongside Gary Siders II, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders after investigators say they found 16 children living in terrible conditions. Officers had gone to the Siders’ home to execute search warrants as part of an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse and child neglect when they found 16 children inside the residence, prosecutors said.
“This case continues to reveal the unimaginable conditions these children were forced to endure,” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a statement following the arrests. “What investigators encountered was pure evil, and the evidence we’ve uncovered since only reinforces that assessment.”
Investigators have sealed search warrants in the case and have not revealed much information about what was found in the house, only saying that each of the 16 children was removed from the home and placed into the custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. They were all taken to the hospital, where some were treated and released, while others were admitted in serious condition or transported for a higher level of medical care.
“These conditions these children lived in were horrific, and we are sickened by it,” Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said. “Fortunately, this tragic chapter has closed, but their recovery will take time.”
Prosecutors said that investigators have learned that the Siders lived in multiple Ohio counties since 2008 and believe they avoided establishing any medical or government records during that time.
Each of the Siders was ordered held on a $300,000 bond after their initial appearance. Gary Siders filed a motion to reduce his bond on Tuesday, citing his age and health as grounds for his release. His attorney noted in the motion that he has concerns about his clients’ “mental health and his competency to stand trial” and said that the 73-year-old has no way to post any manner of bond.
The Siders each waived their rights to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, as prosecutors said they planned to present the case to a grand jury convening this month. Speaking to the media after the waived hearing, Elizabeth Siders’ attorney, Tommy Stolly, said his client is believed to be the mother of all 16 children. “At this point in time, we’re still not sure, at least in my office, whether my client is a victim herself or not,” he said.
No dates were set to discuss the bond motion, which Gary Siders’ attorney said may solely be argued through written filings.
