Home / Crime and Justice / Man unfit for trial over 'house of horrors' children
Man unfit for trial over 'house of horrors' children
10 Sep
Summary
- Grandfather, 73, deemed mentally unfit for trial due to declining health.
- Sixteen children found in deplorable conditions on June 30.
- Three other adults, including parents, have pleaded not guilty.
Gary Siders Senior, 73, will not stand trial for child endangerment charges due to his declining mental health. He appeared in court in a wheelchair, with his attorney stating his mental state is "not restorable" and he does not understand the proceedings.
In June, authorities rescued sixteen children from a rural Ohio home where they were living in severe neglect. The children, ranging from 18 months to 18 years old, were discovered confined to a single room under extremely squalid conditions, described by police as worse than livestock.
Three other adults are facing charges in connection with the case: Gary Siders Senior's wife, Christina Siders; his son, Gary Siders Jr.; and his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Siders. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges of child endangerment.
Neighbors reported never seeing the children, and the family had moved frequently over the past two decades, with no enrollment in school. Investigations revealed the children were kept in unsanitary conditions within a small property. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson condemned the situation as "pure evil."
