SHOCKING SECRET: The only thing the Ohio 16-child family was exceptionally good at for all these years!
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — At least one of the four adults charged with 16 counts of child endangerment out of Vinton County is scheduled to appear in court this week, with others anticipating movement from a grand jury.
Gary Siders, 73, Christina Siders, 66, Gary Siders Jr., 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, were arrested on June 30, and each was charged with 16 counts of endangering children. Gary Siders Jr. is due in court this week for a separate case, as he has been charged with four counts of public indecency.
Deputies said they found 16 children who were allegedly kept isolated in a 12-by-12 room. Officials said seven children were hospitalized with two flown to trauma centers, and are now being cared for through the state.
Although court filings were frequent in the first few days, the court slowed issuing responses last week. The judge granted a gag order in Gary Siders Jr.’s case, preventing officials from discussing the case publicly to protect evidence and ensure the case is not jeopardized by misinformation. Christina Siders’ attorney also requested a gag order, but it has not yet been ruled on.
All of the adults but Gary Siders Sr. — who was released on bail because he required hospitalization for a “severe” medical condition — are in jail as they await action from a grand jury. Elizabeth, Gary Jr. and Christina Siders are each being held on a $300,000 bond.
In Ohio, a grand jury is a closed, confidential process that determines if the state has enough evidence to bring felony charges against someone accused of a crime. The Siders have not yet been indicted but remain in jail because they have not paid their bond. Elizabeth requested an adjusted bond so she could get out of jail with protections like an ankle monitor, but a judge has not yet addressed the request.
Whereas more populous places like Franklin County hold grand juries frequently, Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said a grand jury is typically convened there every other month. Speaking July 8, Archer said he hoped to have more information on an indictment “in the next couple weeks.”
What is known about the investigation so far
Officials responded to the home on Ohmer Street on June 30 with a search warrant, not expecting to find the 16 children. Officials said the warrant was part of a “parallel investigation” involving allegations of domestic abuse and child neglect. The search warrant in the case is sealed, so the details leading up to the operation are unknown.
It is believed deputies may have also been serving Gary Siders Jr. with a warrant due to the indecent exposure charges. According to court records, the younger Siders man exposed himself outside of his home to people other than those in his household on May 23, May 27, May 29 and May 31.
The officer complainant associated with the public indecency case is not a Vinton County Sheriff Deputy. Instead, court records show the officer is a special agent for the state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. BCI special agents investigate a variety of crimes, including environmental crimes, major felonies or crimes against children and elderly people.
On July 1, complaints were filed detailing 16 charges, one for each child, for each of the four adults. In Ohio, child endangerment charges can range from misdemeanors to a second-degree felony.
All four Siders are charged with second-degree felony child endangerment, which specifies torture or cruelly abusing a child. Court records also specify that there was “serious physical harm” done to each child.
Watch: Officials offer update in Vinton County case, July 1
The same day, Archer had a news conference alongside Attorney General Andy Wilson and other officials. Wilson called the situation “pure evil” and that the kids were “almost like feral animals,” characterization that drew criticism from Christina and Gary Siders Sr.’s attorneys.
“It’s frankly inappropriate, and it’s asking the public to essentially find these people guilty of wrongdoing before they’ve even been indicted by a grand by a grand jury,” Dorian Baum, Gary Siders Sr.’s attorney, told NBC4.
On July 7, all four adults in the case waived their preliminary hearing, meaning they turned down the right to appear in court. The next day, Archer gave a public update that Gary Siders Sr. had fallen while being transported from jail, leading to his hospitalization. On July 9, the court granted a competency hearing for Gary Siders Sr. to determine if he was well enough to sit for trial.
On Tuesday, the judge granted a gag order in Gary Siders Jr.’s case. Requests filed to adjust Elizabeth Siders’ bond or to issue a gag order in Christina Sider’s case have both not seen action.
What is known of the family before the arrests
Details about the family before the adults’ arrest are scarce, with officials claiming they were good at keeping off the grid. NBC4 examined birth, death, property and court records to track the Siders’ movements in detail prior to the arrests. Explore the timeline below or see it in further detail here.
On Thursday morning, Gary Siders Jr. is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial hearing for the public indecency charges.
SOURCE: NBC4I
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/central-ohio-news/16-children-rescued-in-ohio-explore-timeline-of-investigation-ahead-of-court-date/
