Authorities in Hamden, Ohio, found 16 children living amid garbage and human waste in a small home; ages ranged from 18 months to 18 years. Several children were seriously injured and two were airlifted to Level I trauma centers. Four adults were arrested and charged with multiple counts of endangering children as investigators work to secure medical care and rebuild the children’s histories.
16 Children Found Living Among Human Waste in Small Ohio Home; Sheriff Calls Scene “Pure Evil”
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Deputies executing a search warrant in Hamden, Ohio, discovered 16 children living in squalid conditions inside a very small house, authorities say. The children’s ages ranged from 18 months to 18 years, and several required immediate medical attention; two were airlifted to Level I trauma centers.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the scene in stark terms as "pure evil." Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said investigators found the children living amid garbage and human waste, with feces scattered throughout the home. Officials also reported a small room that they believe was used to confine some children for nearly four years.
"Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children,"Sheriff Cain said, describing the living environment. Wilson added that responders initially focused on stabilizing and transporting injured children to hospitals rather than immediately assessing emotional trauma: some children were reportedly unable to speak when found.
Arrests, Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Four adults — Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders — were arrested and each faces 17 counts of endangering children, second-degree felony charges that prosecutors say stem from allegations of causing "serious physical harm." The adults were arraigned in Vinton County Court of Common Pleas and remained jailed on $300,000 bond.
Officials said the adults were not local and appeared to have been traveling. Investigators now believe the family lived in multiple Ohio counties beginning in 2008 while avoiding creation of medical and government records, a factor that has complicated efforts to reconstruct the children’s histories and the family’s movements.
Family Response and Next Steps
A relative, Terri Siders, told NBC News she had not had contact with the family for at least eight years and said she was unaware of how many children there were. Authorities said they do not currently believe the case involves human trafficking.
Local officials say their immediate priority is ensuring the children receive medical care, protective services and long-term support while prosecutors pursue the case. Prosecuting Attorney William Archer emphasized:
"Our children deserve better from their parents, guardians, and custodians. No child should endure these kinds of conditions."
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