Grandma from Ohio family where 16 ‘feral’ kids were found makes request that could change entire case
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
The grandmother from an Ohio family who has been charged with child endangerment has submitted a request to the court.
Christina Siders, 67, was one of four people arrested after 16 'feral' children were discovered at a home living in shocking circumstances.
Her husband, Gary Siders Sr., 73, was also arrested, along with the children's parents, Elizabeth Siders, 33, and Gary Siders Jr., 38.
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The grandmother's attorney has now filed a motion requesting a gag order.
Her request comes after the same kind of order was granted to Gary Siders Jr.
The children were discovered on June 30, living in squalor, after authorities accessed the property for an unrelated reason.
Ranging in age from one to 18, it was reported that some of them can't write and were barely speaking.
Attorney General Andy Wilson called the living conditions 'terrible'.
“I mean, it looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible," he added.
He also called it 'evil' and 'disgusting'.
“What we saw down here today is pure evil. Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children. It was just a disgusting scene,” he told the press.
Christina faces 16 charges of child endangerment.
If her request is granted, the gag order would prevent any further information about her and her involvement in the case from coming out.
Local news outlet WOWK revealed her request, after Gary Siders Jr. had his approved.
Attorneys and witnesses would also be forbidden from discussing the case or making any details public.
Judge Laina Fetherolf Rogers approved the gag order for Siders Jr.
Explaining why it was granted, the judge said that statements made by prosecutors and attorneys could 'create a reasonable likelihood of prejudicial pretrial publicity which may impact the ability to impanel an impartial jury.'
Elsewhere, Elizabeth’s attorney, Thomas Stolly, hit out at the defence team: “We’re still at the early stages of this criminal case. And so that’s one of the reasons that it’s important to push back against language like that, and it’s important to remember that Elizabeth and the rest of the Siders family are innocent until proven guilty.”
It comes after Gary Siders Sr also suffered a fall and a medical emergency on the way to court.
It has caused controversy after it emerged his hospital bill will be paid by the county because he was in custody when the incident happened
He said, “Based on the information that we were provided, his medical care could potentially bankrupt Vinton County. We were not going to put that burden also on our local taxpayers.”
The case continues.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
A timeline of the allegations against the Siders family
31 March 2008
Gary Siders Jr, 18, and Elizabeth Siders, 15, are married in Mason County, West Virginia with the consent of Elizabeth’s parents. Marital records indicate Elizabeth's education topped at eighth grade, while Gary Siders Jr. left school after completing ninth grade.
30 May 2008
The couple’s eldest child is born. More children are born in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 (twins), 2024 (twins), and 2025.
2021
The superintendent of the Gallia County Local Schools in southeast Ohio told WSAZ3 there are records from this year showing Gary Jr. and Elizabeth were parents with a local school at the time.
Court records obtained by the Columbus Dispatch reveal that Gallia County Juvenile Court filed six truancy complaints against Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders for failing to send their children to school.
2022
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said the Siders family moved to Vinton County, again in southeast Ohio, around this time.
10 November 2022
Elizabeth Siders prematurely delivers conjoined twins, who die an hour after they are born. Named Faith Lee and Bailey Lee Siders, they were joined at the chest, face-to-face, according to birth certificates obtained by WCMH.
23, 27, 29 and 31 May 2026
Court records show Gary Siders Jr. is accused of exposing himself on four separate occasions on these dates, WOWK reports.
30 June 2026
An arrest warrant is issued for Gary Siders Jr related to four alleged counts of public indecency.
Police attend the Siders’ home in relation to this investigation and find 16 children living in what police describe as deplorable conditions.
Authorities claim the children were confined to a 12-foot by 12-foot space for four years.
Gary Siders Sr, 73, Christina Siders, 67, Gary Siders Jr, 36, and Elizabeth Siders, 33, are arrested and charged with 16 counts of endangering children, second-degree felonies. All have since entered not guilty pleas.
3 July 2026
In an interview with WSYX ABC 6, Elizabeth Siders’ lawyer Thomas Stolly said on meeting his client for the first time: “I met a woman who was timid and who was exhausted. It looked like she had been crying quite a bit. She looked distraught.”
When asked if Elizabeth is also a victim in the case, he says: “I don’t think she would classify herself as a victim.”
He says the initial coverage of conditions at the Siders’ home is ‘not the whole story’.
7 July 2026
All four of the defendants waive their right to a preliminary hearing, meaning the case will now go before a grand jury.
They will decide whether to indict the four accused family members.
On the same day, Gary Sr.’s legal team ask for his $300,000 bail to be waived. They argue it is excessive, saying the 73-year-old has ‘significant health issues’ and ‘very limited mobility’, and doesn’t have the capacity to post any bail money.
His lawyer, Dorian Keith Baum, says Gary Sr. ‘has denied any and all allegations against him’ and has ‘a vested interest… to clear his name’.
Baum also says he has concerns about Gary Sr’s competency to stand trial.
That day, Gary Sr. is transported to OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital in Athens. If released from hospital, he will be required to wear a GPS monitor. His bond is changed to a recognizance bond, which means he doesn’t have to pay the money upfront.
8 July 2026
Vinton County prosecutor William Archer Jr. tells press that Gary Sr. 'has a serious medical condition that requires specialized care' that would 'potentially bankrupt Vinton County' if he'd remained in jail and the county had to pay for his care. Removing the 16 children from the Siders' home more than doubled the number of children in temporary care in Vinton County, putting further financial strain on local authorities.
Topics: Crime, True Crime, US News, Domestic Abuse
Jen Thomas