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A couple accused of keeping 16 children in their "House of Horrors" are facing new child sex abuse charges. It comes around two months after police found the victims during a raid of the home of Gary Siders Jr., 37, and 33-year-old Elizabeth Siders.
The couple were charged after 16 of their biological children, ranging from 18 months to 18 years old, were reportedly found living in squalor and neglect. Police described the living conditions as "pure evil" and "deplorable" following their raid on June 30. Investigators recently returned to the home to execute a DNA search in relation to a separate abuse probe. It has since been confirmed that both Gary Jr. and Elizabeth have been charged with a further four counts of child sex crimes in connection with alleged abuse between January and September 2022.
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Police in Ohio confirmed the charges following the DNA search at the couple's property on Ohmer Street, Hamden, on Friday (August 21). The couple are alleged to have sexually abused a minor who was more than 10 years younger than them.
In June, police found the Siders' 16 children packed into a roughly 12-foot-by-12-foot room. The force said the room was contaminated with human waste and that seven of the children were rushed to hospital.
County prosecutors said: "Law enforcement sought the DNA of Gary Siders Jr. related to the child sex abuse case. Upon serving search warrants for the child sex abuse case, the existing condition of the 16 children at the Ohmer Street house became known."
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said in an update on Friday: "There have been a lot of questions and speculation regarding the June 30 presence on Omer Street in Hamden. These indictments provide some insight into the ongoing investigation. However, to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation and to protect the victims, I complete my statement here."
In a separate statement, the Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office revealed that the cases began as "an investigation into family child sex abuse."
They added that detectives have been searching for Gary Jr.'s DNA in connection with the child sex abuse case. Prosecutors said the "child sex abuse cases involve intrafamily relations and do not pose a risk to the general public."
Both Gary Jr. and Elizabeth are charged with 19 counts of endangering children in connection with the "House of Horrors" case. They include:
Meanwhile, there are also each charged on four counts of child sex crimes following the latest investigation. They include:
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