Everything we know about the Ohio House of Horrors case, including details that haven’t made headlines yet.

The case of 16 children found living in squalor inside an Ohio home has been developing rapidly since the discovery on June 30, and new details continue to emerge.

Here is a full picture of what we know so far.

How police found the children
Officers from the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the property in Hamden on June 30 to execute a search warrant, but not because of the children.

The warrant related to four misdemeanor indecent exposure charges against Gary Siders Jr., who had allegedly exposed himself outside the property on four separate occasions in May. What deputies found inside changed everything.

Parts of the home were so contaminated with rubbish and waste that investigators could not physically reach certain rooms. The floor was so deteriorated the children were “literally about to fall through” it. Some were covered in bugs. Two had to be airlifted to trauma centers, one was placed in intensive care and intubated.

“They looked like almost feral animals,” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said.

Who the Siders family are
Four adults were arrested. Gary Siders Jr., 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, are the children’s parents. Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 67, are the paternal grandparents. All four were living in the property with the 16 children.

Marriage records show Gary Jr. and Elizabeth married on March 31, 2008 in West Virginia. He was 18, she was 15 and seven months pregnant. Her parents had consented to the marriage and a judge approved the union.

The eldest child was born two months later.

Multiple unconfirmed reports suggest Elizabeth may have given birth as many as 20 times, beginning at age 13.

Her attorney has confirmed all 16 children found in the home are biologically hers. Officials have described this as an “intrafamily case,” a term that has prompted speculation about incest, which has not been confirmed.

Is Elizabeth a victim?
This has become one of the most debated questions in the case. Elizabeth was a child herself when she became a mother, and her brother has claimed on Facebook that she was “almost indoctrinated” by the Siders family, adding that “everyone knew about it” and suggesting state welfare agencies had prior knowledge. These claims have not been verified.

When asked directly whether Elizabeth considers herself a victim, her attorney Thomas Stolly said she does not. Stolly has also pushed back on several aspects of the prosecution’s account, saying he has seen no evidence the children were confined to a single room, and that Elizabeth told him the older children had mobile phones and used social media.

“I think this is more so a case of isolation than a case of evil,” he said.

Forensic nurse Rachel Fischer offered a more nuanced view:

“A person can be responsible for harm to children while also having a history of grooming, coercion, isolation, reproductive control, or abuse.”

Unconfirmed rumors have also circulated online that Elizabeth may be pregnant again. Neither prosecutors nor court filings have addressed this.

The conjoined twins nobody knew about
Birth and death records have revealed the couple had two other children not among the 16 found in the home.

Bailey Lee Siders and Faith Lee Siders were conjoined twin girls born on November 20, 2022, joined at the chest and sharing organs.

They were born at just 24 weeks and both died within approximately one hour from respiratory failure. Their existence came to public attention after social media users spotted a headstone in Hamden bearing both names.

Their deaths are not currently included in the criminal charges.

How they went undetected
None of the 16 children had ever been enrolled in school. Investigators believe the family deliberately moved across multiple Ohio counties since at least 2008, avoiding creating medical or government records.

A neighbor who lives three houses away said he had never seen a single child at the property. Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer told NewsNation the strategy appeared deliberate:

“You get away with it because you conceal it by moving over and over again. You don’t let the children out of the house.”

Where the case stands
All four defendants waived their preliminary hearings on July 7. The case will proceed to a grand jury under a newly appointed special prosecutor. No date has been set. Additional charges remain possible.

Gary Siders Sr.’s attorney has filed a motion seeking a mental competency evaluation and possible insanity defense. A judge has ordered an evaluation, pausing the speedy trial clock in the meantime.

If released from hospital, Siders Sr. will be required to wear a GPS monitor.

All 16 children are in the temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Finding foster placements for 16 children, many with severe developmental needs, is expected to be extremely challenging.

Bailey and Faith, the conjoined twins who lived for one hour, are buried in Hamden.