House of Horrors Shock: Police Were Unaware 16 'Almost Feral' Children Were Living in Feces-Filled Ohio Home Before Indecent Exposure Raid
The discovery of 16 kids trapped in filthy living conditions shocked police officers.
July 6 2026, Published 2:45 p.m. ET
The serving of an indecent exposure warrant ended up uncovering a hidden house of horrors with 16 children inside kept in feral conditions, RadarOnline.com can report.
The discovery shocked even the most veteran of police officials, who described the decrepit conditions of the home and of the kids.
Unspeakable Conditions in the House
Cops made the gruesome discovery while attempting to serve a warrant to Gary Siders, Jr.
The children, who are all from the same family, were living in wretched conditions with human waste all around, while reportedly being confined to just one room for much of the past four years.
They range from as young as 18 months to 18 years of age, and all display some form of developmental disability. Some of the children were unable to speak. The eldest could not even write her name, investigators said.
"One of the investigative challenges is that [the children] are limited," said county Sheriff Ryan Cain. They can communicate, but it's extremely limited, and some not at all."
In addition to the 18-year-old, court records show the other children's ages as 16, 15, 14, 13, 11, 10, 8, 6, and 5, along with 4-year-old twins, 2-year-old twins, and 1-year-old twins.
Family of Four Arrested
Gary Siders, Jr. married wife Elizabeth when she was 15 and pregnant.
Police first came upon the gruesome home as they tried to serve an indecent exposure warrant on Gary Siders Jr. Instead, authorities ended up arresting the 36-year-old, along with his wife, Elizabeth Siders, 33, and parents Gary, 73, and Christina, 66.
The two parents and two grandparents were each charged with 16 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony.
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.
'It Really Looked Third World'
Two parents and two grandparents were arrested and charged with endangering children.
The home was in the tiny town of Hamden, which has a population of less than 1,000 people and is about 60 miles southeast of Columbus. Authorities said the children were kept in an area measuring approximately 12 feet by 12 feet.
"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.
Several Children Were Hospitalized
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The children were all related to the parents.
Each of the rescued children was medically evaluated and found to have been "abused and suffered serious physical harm," according to the complaint. Seven of the children were hospitalized in the Columbus area, including two who were taken to trauma centers.
"Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children," said Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain. "Just a disgusting scene."
Siders Jr. is due in court Tuesday, July 7, over the initial indecent-exposure warrant. He and his family also face up to 16 counts of child endangerment and $300,000 bonds each.
If found guilty of all charges, they could face a maximum sentence of up to 192 years in prison.
