Just over a week ago, the news arrived that in the Ohio House of Horrors case, Gary Siders Jr. and his wife Elizabeth Siders were indicted on felony charges of an intimate nature involving minors. Ahead of the weekend, Gary pleaded not guilty. Read on for more details.
Separate Charges
On Sunday night’s YouTube update on Los Angeles Magazine Studios, Lauren Conlin reported on what happened in court. She explained that Gary Siders Jr. pleaded not guilty to 19 child-endangerment charges concerning the 16 children found in conditions described as “not fit for livestock.”
He also pleaded not guilty to four charges arising from a separate investigation involving alleged misconduct with a minor more than 10 years younger than him.
The SA Charges
You might recall that officers discovered the conditions inside the home after arriving to execute a search warrant in the Ohio House of Horrors case.
Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer confirmed that the warrant was connected to the separate investigation involving Gary and Elizabeth. According to local reporting, officers were there to obtain a DNA sample from Gary.
ABC6 reported that the indictment identifies Gary Siders Jr.as a relative of the minor. However, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office clarified that the person is not a member of the couple’s immediate family.
Gary’s wife, Elizabeth Siders, is also charged in both cases.
How The Various People Fit In
ABC6 also explained how two defendants in the wider investigation are connected to the Siders family. Josh Saunders is Gary Siders Jr.’s nephew, while Brandon Henderson is reportedly dating Gary’s sister.
Saunders and Henderson face charges arising from an earlier investigation involving two other children. Information obtained during that investigation led authorities to Gary and Elizabeth.
A Flight Risk
Prosecutors argued that “Gary Siders Jr. poses a flight risk,” pointing out that he has allegedly “spent years evading” law enforcement. He is currently being held on a $550,000 bond.
According to his attorney, the 16 children who were removed from the Hamden home remain in the custody of children’s services. The attorney also stated that the minor at the center of the sexual misconduct case is currently “out of state.”
At this stage, Conlin can’t say for certain whether the minor involved in the case was a boy or a girl.
Mental Competency Evaluations
Gary Siders Jr., Elizabeth and the two grandparents have been undergoing evaluations to determine whether they are competent to stand trial.
Conlin wondered whether Gary’s courtroom appearance meant that he had been found competent. However, appearing for an arraignment does not necessarily establish that a competency evaluation has been completed.
No reported court ruling has yet confirmed the outcome of either Gary’s or Elizabeth’s evaluation.
Viewers React
In the comments section, folks following the Ohio House of Horrors case appreciated the update. Between the SA charges and the 16 children who lived in horrific conditions, many people feel shocked at how the family slipped through various cracks in state institutions.
One viewer wrote:
Hot news, sad case. At least this case will show the faults in reporting missing school children, lack of follow up on clues of family in trouble, State paying multiple times for birth after birth, Drs, nurses, staff paid. It’s not like this family moved hundreds of miles…
Another commenter opined, “There would be no way the grandparents didn’t know what was going on! Lock all four up and throw away the key.”
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