‘Pure evil’: 16 Ohio children rescued after being held in tiny 12-foot room for four years

Authorities have rescued 16 children from a rural home in Hamden, Ohio after they were confined to one small room for the past four years in “deplorable” conditions.

The children, who are all from the same US family, are aged between one and 18, including both boys and girls. They were living in a room that was roughly 12 feet by 12 feet, surrounded by human waste. Some of them were unable to speak, and the 18-year-old couldn’t even write their name.

Officers found the kids while carrying out a search warrant in an unrelated investigation, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said at a news conference on Wednesday. The house is separated from nearby neighbours by trees and bushes, but it’s easily visible from the road.

Credit: Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson

“We didn’t know there were going to be 16 kids there,” he said, as reported by ABC News. “It’s the type of thing that we’re not used to seeing here in America. Pure evil.”

“Some of these children couldn’t even speak. They looked like almost feral animals,” he said. “It was terrible.” Wilson said it was the most “horrific” thing he had ever seen in his entire career and 24 hours after entering the home, he still couldn’t get the smell off him.

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain added: “Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children. Just a disgusting scene.”

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‘Pure evil’: 16 Ohio children rescued after being held in tiny 12-foot room for four years

Seven of the children were taken to hospitals in Columbus and two were flown to level one trauma centres by helicopter. One of them was in a critical condition and had to have a breathing tube.

Credit: Southern Ohio Regional Jail

The children’s parents and two grandparents have all been arrested and charged with 16 counts of second-degree felony child endangerment because it involves “serious physical harm,” prosecuting attorney William Archer said.

Gary Siders Sr, 73, Christina Siders, 77, Gary Siders Jr, 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, all appeared in court on Wednesday and a judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf. Their bond was set at $300,000 each, and they don’t have lawyers yet.

The neighbours were in complete shock and had no idea what was going on behind closed doors. Joseph Stewart, 60, said he saw “no kids at all” since the family moved in and it’s “a quiet neighborhood”.

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Featured image credit: Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson and Southern Ohio Regional Jail