16 children rescued from putrid Ohio home, authorities say
· Toronto Sun
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Sixteen children were rescued from a rundown Ohio home, and their parents and grandparents face charges after authorities claim they found the children living in a space littered with human waste.
“Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children,” Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain alleged at a news conference on Wednesday, per NBC News .
Describing the home, located in the town of Hamden, as “disgusting,” he alleged the children were confined to a 12-by-12-foot room for nearly four years.
Authorities said none of the children, whose ages range between 18 months and 18 years old, were enrolled in school and some of them are unable to speak. The eldest child was described as developmentally disabled and couldn’t write her own name.
“They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible,” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said.
He said investigators made the disturbing discovery while carrying out a search warrant in an unrelated investigation at the Hamden home, which located is about 96 km southeast of Columbus.
Some children hospitalized
Wilson said seven of the children were taken to hospitals in Columbus, while two were airlifted due to their injuries. One of them was in critical condition.
“I think if they would have waited another 24 hours, that there was a very high probability that we’d be dealing with a death or multiple deaths of these children,” he said, per ABC News .
The accused — identified as Gary Siders Sr, 73, Christina Siders, 67, Gary Siders Jr., 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33 — have been charged with felony child endangerment.
The four appeared in court Wednesday where a judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and set bond at US$300,000 for each.