“HE DOESN’T FULLY UNDERSTAND” — GRANDFATHER IN OHIO “HOUSE OF HORRORS” CASE DECLARED INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL

Gary Siders Sr., 73, faces 16 child-endangerment charges after authorities rescued 16 children from an Ohio home described as being in “deplorable” conditions.

A major new development has emerged in the disturbing Ohio case involving 16 children found living in deplorable conditions.

Gary Siders Sr., the 73-year-old grandfather of the children, has been declared mentally incompetent to stand trial after a judge accepted the findings of a court-ordered mental evaluation.

The evaluation concluded that Siders’ condition is “not restorable,” according to his attorney.

Siders is facing 16 child-endangerment charges stemming from the June 30 rescue of the children from a home in Hamden, Ohio.

His attorney, Dorian Baum, said Siders’ mental health had been declining for years.

“He doesn’t fully understand or appreciate what’s going on.”

The Vinton County prosecutor did not challenge the findings of the evaluation.

16 CHILDREN — ONE HOME

The case began on June 30, when authorities arrived at the rural Ohio property and discovered 16 children ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years.

Authorities described the conditions inside the home as extremely poor.

Investigators said the children were largely confined to a small room and had not been enrolled in school.

Some reportedly had significant medical needs, and two children were transported by air to trauma centers after the rescue.

Officials also said some of the children had extremely limited communication abilities.

The children were subsequently removed from the home and placed in the custody of Vinton County.

They are now receiving therapeutic foster care and other services intended to address the effects of what officials described as a traumatic upbringing.

FOUR ADULTS WERE ARRESTED

Gary Siders Sr. was one of four adults arrested following the discovery.

The others were his wife, Christina Siders, his son Gary Siders Jr., and his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Siders, who is the mother of the 16 children.

All four initially pleaded not guilty to the child-endangerment allegations and underwent competency evaluations.

Gary Sr. was later released for medical reasons.

His son, daughter-in-law and Christina Siders remain involved in the criminal proceedings.

A MENTAL EVALUATION CHANGED THE CASE

Siders’ attorney requested a competency evaluation in July.

The judge ordered the evaluation the following day, and it was conducted on September 9.

After reviewing the findings, the judge determined that Siders is not competent to stand trial.

According to his lawyer, his condition is considered not restorable, meaning there is not an expectation that treatment will make him competent to participate in the proceedings.

That ruling does not determine whether Siders committed the alleged offenses.

Instead, it addresses whether he has the mental capacity to understand the proceedings and meaningfully assist in his defense.

THE CHILDREN ARE NOW IN STATE CARE

Following the rescue, the 16 children were placed under the care of Vinton County.

Officials said they would require long-term support, including therapeutic foster care.

Ohio subsequently provided the county with $1 million in emergency funding to help cover the costs of caring for the children.

The case has raised questions about how such a large family could remain largely hidden from public view for so long.

According to AP reporting, neighbors said they rarely saw the children, while investigators said the family had moved frequently over the previous two decades.

THE CASE IS FAR FROM OVER

Gary Siders Sr.’s competency ruling marks a dramatic turn in a case that has already shocked Ohio.

But the criminal proceedings involving the other adults continue.

Meanwhile, investigators and authorities remain focused on the circumstances that allowed the children to allegedly live in such conditions for years.

For the 16 children, the rescue was only the beginning.

Now comes the much longer process of recovery.

A hidden home.
16 children.
Four adults arrested.
And now, one grandfather declared unable to stand trial.

The unanswered questions surrounding Ohio’s so-called “House of Horrors” case are only growing.