EXCLUSIVE: Ohio Mom Accused of Locking Her 16 Kids Away in House of Horrors Was 'Indoctrinated' Into Living in Feces-Filled Home, Brother Claims — As She Married Older Boyfriend at Age 15
A family member of one of the people accused of keeping their 16 children in dilapidated conditions says 'everyone knew' what was happening.
July 6 2026, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
The brother of an Ohio mom charged with keeping her 16 children locked in a tiny, feces-filled room in her home claims other family members "knew" about the kids, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
He also claimed his sister, Elizabeth Siders, was effectively being held captive by her husband, Gary Siders Jr., before the pair and Gary's parents were all arrested and charged with abuse.
'Everybody Knew'
Elizabeth Siders' brother has spoken out after his sister was arrested.
Gary Jr., 36, and Elizabeth, 33, along with Gary's parents, father Gary Sr., 73, and mother Christina, 66, were each charged with 16 counts of endangering children after authorities discovered the kids, ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years, living in squalor in their rural Ohio home.
However, while the discovery of the dastardly living conditions shocked police, relatives told Angenette Levy, host of Law&Crime: Crime Fix, the extended family tree was no secret.
"One of the brothers of Elizabeth, the mother, said that 'everybody knew, everybody knew,' Levy told Radar, clarifying. "Who he means by 'everybody' we don’t know, but it sounds like people knew about these children."
The brother also defended his sister, whom he admitted he had recently reconnected with after 15 years, suggesting she was being "indoctrinated" by Gary Jr. and his parents.
"We still don’t know what that means. Indoctrination makes it sound like you were almost taken against your will, or that you weren't a willing participant, and that you were brought into a culture and convinced that this is the way you should live," said Levy.
Elizabeth Siders Asked About Her Kids, Lawyer Reveals
The brother claimed Elizabeth wad 'indoctrinated' by the family into keeping the kids in the filthy home.
According to court records, Gary Jr. was 18 years old and had only finished ninth grade when he married Elizabeth, who was just 15 and had finished eighth grade. Their oldest child was born two months after their wedding.
Elizabeth's attorney, Thomas Stolly, defended his new client and tried to paint her as a protective mother when he first met with her.
"In fact, my client’s first question to me when I walked into the jail and introduced myself was about her kids," Stolly shared. "She asked if her children were OK, she asked if I knew where they were, and she asked when she’d be able to see them again."
He reasoned, "I thought it was telling that her first concern was not, 'When can I get out of jail,' but was 'Are my children OK.'"
Deplorable Living Conditions
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the children as 'feral animals.'
As Radar reported, Gary Jr. and his family lived in the tiny town of Hamden, with a population of fewer than 1,000 and about 60 miles southeast of Columbus. Authorities said the children were kept in an area measuring approximately 12 feet by 12 feet and covered in human feces.
"Conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in," Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said. "It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals."
Wilson said investigators were forced to wear masks when entering the trash-filled home.
"It really looked third world. It is not something we are used to seeing in America. I cannot get the smell off of me," said Wilson.
The Kids' Current Condition
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Cops said they had to wear masks to protect themselves from the smell of the home as they cleaned it out.
Officials revealed the family has lived in multiple Ohio counties since 2008 and largely avoided establishing medical and other government records during that time. It was also unclear whether the children received any education.
The children were removed from the home and placed into the temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Several remain hospitalized after authorities said they required advanced medical care.
Authorities have confessed to having difficulties communicating with the kids, some of whom can't even talk. The oldest, an 18-year-old daughter, was said to be unable to spell her own name.
"Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," said Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain. "Just a disgusting scene."
