In a rural home in the Hamden area of Ohio, USA, it has emerged that 16 children were living in inhumane conditions. Following the discovery of the children, 4 people were arrested.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described the conditions inside the home at a press conference as "worse than you could ever imagine." Wilson said, "It was the worst scene I have seen in my entire career, pure evil."
Authorities stated that high levels of feces and bacteria were detected in the home, where girls and boys ranging from 18 months to 18 years old were found. Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said, "Most farm animals were kept in better conditions than these children."
It was reported that some children were seriously injured during the incident, and two were airlifted to trauma centers. Attorney General Wilson said, "If we had been 24 hours later, one or more children could have died."
Gary Siders Sr., Gary Siders Jr., Christina Siders, and Elizabeth Siders, who were taken into custody, each face 16 separate counts of second-degree child endangerment. The court entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the suspects, and their bail was set at $300,000.
Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer emphasized that the suspects were not local to the area and that the incident was a domestic matter, with no indication of human trafficking or risk to other children in the vicinity.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine stated he had been informed of the developments and described the conditions the children endured as heartbreaking, adding, "Fran and I are praying for these children and thank the children's services workers, law enforcement, and medical personnel who are helping them."
