Police rescue 16
Police have rescued 16 children who 'looked like feral animals' from a tiny decaying house as four adults face charges.
The children who were 'kept in worse conditions than livestock' were discovered by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio on Tuesday morning following the execution of a search warrant as part of an ongoing investigation.
The horrifying discovery unveiled an appalling scene, with the youngsters all crammed inside a dilapidated three-and-a-half square metre property that was covered in human waste.
The shocking conditions were described as 'pure evil,' according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson.
It is understood the children were kept in the 'house' for nearly four years.
Wilson said the children lived in "conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in."
He added that some of the children were unable to speak, with an 18-year-old in the property unable to write her name according to investigators.
Wilson said: "It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible."
Two parents and grandparents were each charged with 17 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony.
The suspects were identified as Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders.
The gruesome scene is situated in the small town of Hamden, which has a population of less than 1,000 people and is roughly 60 miles southeast of Columbus.
Prosecuting attorney William Archer stated that the carers were responsible for causing "serious physical harm".
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain expressed his shock at the discovery, saying: "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children."
Officials confirmed that the children ranged from 18 months to 18-years-old and included both girls and boys.
Seven were rushed to hospitals in Columbus, with two transported by helicopter.
Wilson revealed that one child remained in a critical condition on Tuesday while others were admitted for treatment.
He further noted that the immediate priority was the children's medical welfare, while also acknowledging the profound emotional impact their captivity would have had upon them.
Officials declined to confirm how all the children were related, but clarified it was not a human trafficking situation.
The four suspects are not local residents, and authorities believe they had been travelling deliberately to avoid establishing medical and government records.
"These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids," Mr Wilson said.
Prosecuting Attorney Archer said: "Our children deserve better from their parents, guardians, and custodians. No child should endure these kinds of conditions.
"My office will do everything in our power to make sure these children get the love and care they deserve. My office will prosecute these persons to the fullest extent of the law."
Local residents stated they had never previously seen any children at the property. Joseph Stewart, 60, revealed he had seen "no kids at all" since the family moved in three houses down from his property, despite having an unobstructed view of the garden.
Mr Stewart has lived on the street for six years, describing it as "a quiet neighbourhood".
Terri Siders, a relative of the family, told NBC News she had not been in contact with the family for more than eight years.
"I knew little Gary had kids, yeah. I don't remember meeting any of the kids, though," she said.
"I knew they had a lot of kids through family talking years ago, but there's no way I thought they had that many kids."
The four suspects appeared before the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday morning and remain behind bars on a $300,000 bail.
Investigators believe the Siders family has resided across several Ohio counties since 2008 and are currently examining whether they had previously been referred to children's services.
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