Sixteen abused and neglected children were rescued by state officials from a “house of horrors” in Hamden, Ohio, but a forensic expert told NewsNation removing the minors from the abusive household is only the first step toward an opportunity for a better, safer life.
Forensic nurse Rachel Fischer told NewsNation that she has “lived both sides of this conversation” as both a child who grew up in the foster care system and as a current trauma expert who provides expert analysis in cases involving child abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking and trauma-informed care.
“As a forensic nurse, I analyze evidence objectively. As someone who grew up in the foster care system, I understand that rescue alone doesn’t heal children. The way we investigate this case, the language we use to describe these children and the support we provide afterward will shape their futures just as much as what happened inside that home,” Fischer said.
The forensic nurse detailed that now that the children are away from their unsafe family members, the physical and psychological recovery process starts.
“One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming rescue is the end of the story. Rescue is the beginning,” Fischer said.
She said the children will need years of trauma-informed medical care, developmental evaluations, mental health treatment, educational support and stable relationships before they can properly recover from the abuse and trauma they faced.
What systems failed the 16 Ohio children?
“From a forensic perspective, I don’t just look at what happened inside the home. I ask how 16 children became invisible to the systems designed to protect them. That’s where some of the most important answers may be found. How do we identify the red flags sooner and put protocols in place to deter and expose these situations?” Fischer said.
Both the parents and grandparents are in police custody.
On June 30, law enforcement arrested Elizabeth Siders, 33, and Gary Siders Jr., 36
Multiple reports, which NewsNation has not confirmed, claimed Elizabeth Siders birthed 20 children, beginning at age 13. Authorities have so far only confirmed 16 children were removed from the home.
The Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson’s office told NewsNation, “The investigation remains ongoing — we do not have further comment.”
Was the mother a victim or abuser?
Last week, attorney Tamara Holder said to NewsNation that Elizabeth Siders may have been a victim herself.
“This is just another example of women and children being neglected by the states and agencies that are responsible for protecting them. This woman (Siders) never had a choice of her own,” Holder said. She believes Siders may have been “forced into marriage and motherhood” as a child herself.
Siders’ attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Fischer described that abuse seldom occurs in a vacuum, yet that is not an excuse for allegedly abusing others, and recommended investigators assigned to this harrowing case examine the family’s dynamics.
“Investigators should be examining this as a multigenerational family system, asking who held power, who exercised control, who was victimized, and how that dynamic evolved over time. Trauma can explain behavior, but it should never become a blanket excuse for victimizing others. Understanding and accountability must coexist,” Fisher said.
“If investigators encounter uncertainty about parentage, undocumented births, or evidence suggesting intrafamilial abuse, forensic DNA testing can become an important investigative tool. The purpose isn’t sensationalism. It’s establishing the truth and ensuring every child is accurately identified and protected,” she added.
Media coverage of children’s rescue could add to the damage
Attorney General Wilson said it is believed most of the alleged victims spent their time in a 12-by-12-foot room on Ohmer Street in the Village of Hamden, Ohio. It is believed that they were not enrolled in school.
The children have been described by public officials and reports in a manner that Fischer cautioned could be damaging to them.
“My greatest concern is that these children are not defined for the rest of their lives by labels created in the first week after their rescue. Their identities should not become synonymous with this tragedy. They deserve the opportunity to heal without carrying a headline as part of their identity,” the forensic nurse stated.
Wilson, along with Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain and Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer, said last week the primary focus is on the children, including supporting their recovery and holding those responsible.
“This case continues to reveal the unimaginable conditions these children were forced to endure. I said yesterday that what investigators encountered was pure evil, and the evidence we’ve uncovered since only reinforces that assessment,” Wilson said.
Diana Falzone is the senior national investigations reporter at NewsNation Digital, covering the federal government, war zones and top-level criminal investigations.