The 16 children rescued from an alleged Ohio ‘house of horrors’ are now in state custody, but a family psychologist warns there’s no easy fix — each child will face a unique and challenging path to recovery.
The futures of the 16 children rescued from a rural Ohio home could be difficult, said an expert (Image: Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail)
Even after their rescue from what’s been described as a “house of horrors” in rural Ohio, the 16 children discovered crammed into a filth-ridden room face a challenging journey toward recovery.
Family psychologist Dr. Rebecca Bailey warned NewsNation that helping , won’t be straightforward. The pair was taken into custody on June 30 after authorities discovered their 16 children confined to a 12-foot by 12-foot bedroom in their Hamden residence.
Gary Siders II’s parents, Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina Siders, 63, were also taken into custody. All four adults face 16 counts of child endangerment — .
Officials reported the children, ranging in age from 20 months to 18 years, were “feral” and possessed minimal communication abilities. The youngsters are currently under state care, according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson.
“There’s going to be no magic therapy that’s going to make it all go away,” Dr. Bailey explained to the outlet on Friday.
“Each of the kids is going to be different, but what they need more than anything is the feeling of community and safety and connection to others … Each of them is going to have such a different reaction coming out of here.”
Officials described encountering mountains of trash upon entering the property. Wilson noted the conditions were so appalling that investigators couldn’t access certain sections of the residence.
All 16 children were found packed in a small bedroom at the back of the house
Court documents don’t reveal how authorities initially discovered the Siders’ residence; however, records indicate a warrant had been issued for Gary Siders II stemming from misdemeanor indecent exposure charges connected to unrelated incidents in May.
“You know, for some of them, it’s going to be very, very scary. Believe it or not, leaving that situation, that’s all they, for some of them, it’s all they’ve known. It’s very frightening,” said Bailey.
Siders adults to be evaluated
The development comes as three members of the Siders family, Gary II, Elizabeth, and Gary Sr., are set to undergo mental evaluations.
Although each defendant faces separate charges, lawyers representing all three submitted motions requesting that physicians assess their competency.
Attorneys for the Siders adults requested that they undergo mental evaluations (Image: PLUNDERStudios/YouTube)
The filings, which offer no additional information, assert that the lawyers question whether the defendants can understand the legal proceedings or participate in their own defenses.
In a separate motion filed Wednesday seeking a bond reduction, Christina Siders characterized investigators’ descriptions of the home’s conditions as “hyperbolic.”
The filing states that Christina Siders resided in the property with her husband, son, and daughter-in-law, and that the sole concern discovered by authorities was “unsanitary conditions in the home.
“There is no allegation that Defendant used or had access to a weapon, nor that Defendant committed any acts of violence against any alleged victim,” Christina Siders’ attorney wrote. “Rather, it is evident that Defendant was the only adult in the home who had long been providing for all the other adults and the children residing in her home. Defendant paid for rent, utilities and other necessities in the home. Despite her own medical conditions, Defendant was also tasked with caring for her husband and his significant medical needs and physical limitations.”
One eerie question remains unanswered in Ohio house of horrors case