Heartbreaking Plea From Elizabeth Siders As 16 Children Are Removed From Ohio Home
In a shocking new development, Ohio’s “house of horrors” mother, Elizabeth Siders, is weighing an insanity plea after being arrested on numerous child endangerment charges.
Siders, 34, who was one of four adults taken into custody on June 30 following a police search warrant obtained after a tip regarding Elizabeth’s husband, Gary Siders Jr., 36, who allegedly exposed himself to neighbors on four separate occasions.
Authorities report that the family’s Hamden home was discovered in appalling conditions. During the search, officials also uncovered 16 “almost feral” children, ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years old, allegedly living in a feces-infested, 12-foot-by-12-foot room. It comes
Police stated that some children were unable to communicate, and several required hospitalization.
All four adults – Gary Siders Jr., 36; Gary Siders Sr., 73; Elizabeth Siders, 34; and Christina Siders, 67 — were taken into custody on child endangerment charges and entered not guilty pleas. Bail was set at $300,000 for each defendant.
In a newly filed motion, Elizabeth’s attorney, J. Thomas Stolly indicated that his client appeared to be battling “significant mєntal health issues” that could impair her ability to competently take the stand.
He is requesting that the court evaluate whether she is not guilty by reason of insanity.
Further details continue to surface in the high-profile Ohio “house of horrors” case, drawing widespread attention nationwide.
The latest reports reveal that the mother was the final defendant among the four to request that the court conduct a mєntal competency evaluation, which could support her case should she opt to pursue an insanity plea, according to Los Angeles Magazine.
All four defendants now appear to be pursuing that defense strategy. This development follows the Aug. 3 release of the children’s grandfather, Gary Siders Sr., on a $300,000 bond.
He must wear a GPS monitor, appear at court hearings, notify authorities of any address changes, and submit to random drug and alcohol testing.
It remains uncertain, however, whether he received a medical discharge or was simply released.
The day following his release, Stolly filed a motion expressing concerns about the mother’s mєntal state after numerous meetings over an extended timeframe during which she appeared “crying and exhausted.
“In fact, my client’s first question to me when I walked into the jail and introduced myself was about her kids. 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 stated, noting that while he couldn’t provide answers, he “thought it was telling that her first concern was not, ‘When can I get out of jail?’ but was ‘Are my children OK?’”
The Express US had previously contacted Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail regarding the case, with Lt. Matt Zartman responding via email that he was “unable to fulfill the public records request” due to a gag order issued by the Vinton County Common Pleas Court.
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