MCARTHUR, Ohio (Court TV) — A mother charged with abusing her 16 children pleaded not guilty to additional sex charges filed against her, but her attorney says he’s still concerned about how much she understands.
Elizabeth Siders appears in court for her arraignment on Sept. 16, 2026. (Court TV)
Elizabeth Siders, 33, was initially facing 17 charges of endangering children; she has now pleaded not guilty to sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct charges. The indictment, reviewed by Court TV, reveals few details about the alleged crime. Elizabeth Siders’ husband, Gary Siders II, 36, is facing the same charges she is; his parents are also each charged with 17 counts of endangering children.
Investigators said that 16 children were found in “horrific” conditions on the Siders’ property in Vinton County, Ohio. Elizabeth Siders’ attorney, Thomas Stolly, said that his client was the biological mother of each of the children. “Elizabeth’s concern continues for her children,” he said after Wednesday’s brief hearing. “She asks about them. She asks about them by name. She has specific concerns regarding each child.” Those concerns, he said, included wanting to get messages to the children on their upcoming birthdays.
In court on Wednesday, Elizabeth Siders appeared visibly pregnant. “I can’t address that at this time,” Stolly said when asked if his client was pregnant. Law&Crime’s Angenette Levy reported that she was told shortly after Elizabeth Siders’ arrest that the defendant was expecting a child.
Stolly told reporters after the hearing that he is still waiting for the results of his client’s competency evaluation, and said that he continues to believe his client cannot understand the nature of the charges or their potential consequences. “Some of the things we’re looking at are some of the reasons I’ve raised competency concerns,” he said. “We have an individual in Elizabeth who was married at age 15, who has essentially been pregnant for the better part of two decades, who has never fully gone through any kind of postpartum period, who has not been receiving regular medical care that would be appropriate for someone who’s had 16, 18 children, so I have concerns about what effects those have had on her.”
Prosecutors asked Judge Laina Rogers to impose an additional $250,000 bond on top of the $300,000 bond already in place for the endangerment charges. Rogers granted the request, despite Stolly’s argument that his client cannot pay any amount. Stolly said he asked Rogers to delay considering his bond motion, partly because of competency concerns and partly because of safety issues. “There have been a lot of threats,” he said. “The comments online have been particularly nasty.”
Elizabeth Siders’ father-in-law, Gary Siders Sr., was in court on Sept. 9, after a competency evaluation determined he could not stand trial and could not be restored to competence. His attorney said he expects prosecutors to dismiss the charges in that case and seek a civil commitment for his client.
Gary Siders II and his mother, Christina Siders, have also filed motions asking to have their competency evaluated.
