Ohio man living in squalor with 16 grandchildren mentally incompetent to stand trial

A man from rural southern Ohio, Gary Siders Sr., was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial on Wednesday regarding the 16 grandchildren found living in unsanitary conditions at his home in late June. Vinton County Judge accepted the evaluation report, and Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer did not object. Siders, 73, appeared in court in a wheelchair, with his attorney, Dorian Baum, stating that Siders' mental health has been deteriorating for years and is not recoverable.

Baum noted that Siders does not fully comprehend or appreciate the situation he is in. The charges against Siders include 16 counts of child endangerment. Siders' wife, Christina Siders; son, Gary Siders Jr.; and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Siders, the children's mother, have pleaded not guilty. Authorities discovered the grandchildren on June 30 during a search warrant investigation in an unrelated case.

The children, ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years, were mostly confined to a small room in the house under deplorable conditions and had not been enrolled in school. Their families had moved around over the past two decades, and neighbors had never seen the children. The children were described as feral and unable to speak at the time of their discovery.

According to Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain, the living conditions were worse than those of the livestock, with an "extremely high presence" of bacteria and human feces. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson emphasized the need to ensure the children's safety, secure their placement in proper therapeutic environments, and hold the accountable individuals responsible for their actions.

Wilson also revealed that the eldest child was born in May 2008, two months after Siders Jr. and Elizabeth crossed into West Virginia to marry with their parents' consent.