A judge in Vinton County, Ohio, found Gary Siders Sr., a 73-year-old man, mentally incompetent to stand trial concerning charges related to his 16 grandchildren. These children were discovered living in dire circumstances at a rural home in late June 2026. The judge accepted an evaluation report indicating Siders’ mental incompetency, and Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer consented to the findings.
Siders appeared in court in a wheelchair, with his attorney, Dorian Baum, noting that Siders’ mental health has progressively deteriorated over several years. Baum stated that this outcome of incompetency was anticipated, as Siders struggles to understand the legal proceedings and their implications fully.
He was accused of 16 counts of child endangerment after authorities found the children confined in squalid conditions at a Hamden home, located about 80 miles south of Columbus. Siders’ family members, including his wife Christina, son Gary Jr., and daughter-in-law Elizabeth, the children’s mother, have pleaded not guilty.
The rescue of the children occurred on June 30 during a separate investigation when police executed a search warrant at the residence. Investigators discovered the children primarily confined to a small room and living under severe neglectful conditions. None of the children were registered in school, and for two decades, the family had frequently relocated, with neighbors rarely witnessing the children outside.
The ages of the children ranged from 18 months to 18 years when they were rescued. Some children were described as ‘feral’ and incapable of speech, with various medical issues identified among them. Sheriff Ryan Cain highlighted during a press conference the deplorable state, comparing it unfavorably to conditions for livestock. He noted a significant presence of bacteria and unsanitary conditions.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson echoed these sentiments, describing the children as akin to ‘feral animals’ and mentioning an 18-year-old who could not spell her own name. Wilson emphasized the importance of placing the children in secure, therapeutic environments and ensuring the responsible parties are held accountable for their neglect.
The Attorney General also noted the adeptness of the suspects at hiding the children from view and from investigators. Records revealed the eldest child was born in May 2008, following a marriage between Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth – then teenagers – in West Virginia, with parental consent. Elizabeth has been frequently pregnant over the following years.