Newly shared prison footage shows mum-of-16 ‘feral’ kid’s reaction after arrest
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Elizabeth Siders, the mother of 16 'feral children' found in the Ohio 'house of horrors' appeared to be the only member of her family not handcuffed as they were taken to jail.
New footage has shown how Elizabeth Siders, 33, reacted following her arrest on 30 June as authorities discovered 16 children living in what police have labelled deplorable conditions in a rural home in Vinton County, Ohio.
Her husband, Gary Siders Jr, 36, and his parents, Gary Siders Sr, 73, and Christina Siders, 67, were also all arrested and charged with 16 counts of endangering children.
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All four have since entered not guilty pleas.
CCTV footage of the family once they arrived at jail following their arrest has been released, as reported by Court TV.
Elizabeth Siders did not seem to be handcuffed after being arrested
The four family members arrived at jail in a sheriff's van, with Gary Sr being the first taken out of the vehicle and taken inside by authorities.
Though he was in a wheelchair and had to be assisted, Gary Sr was handcuffed.
Gary Jr followed and had both his feet and hands shackled, with a chain around his waist. Christina came next and was also cuffed as she held papers.
Finally, Elizabeth was led out of the van, though she did not appear to be handcuffed like the other three members of her family as she was led inside.
Further footage showed Christina and Elizabeth being taken for processing. Elizabeth stood with a hunched posture and her hands close to her chest.
After being searched by an officer, Elizabeth can then be seen clutching her left arm with her right hand before being led away.
Another clip shows Elizabeth, wearing an orange jumpsuit, sitting in a plastic chair as she is asked intake questions by an officer sat behind a desk.
LADbible Group has approached the Vinton County Sheriff's Department for comment.
Christina Siders requests gag order
It emerged on July 18 that Christina Siders, the grandmother of the 16 children, has filed a motion requesting a gag order.
The request came after the same order was granted to her son, Gary Siders Jr.
If granted, the gag order would stop any further information about Christina or her involvement in the case from being discussed or published.
Attorneys and witnesses would be forbidden from discussing the case or making any details public.
Local news outlet WOWK revealed her request, after Gary Siders Jr. had his approved by Judge Laina Fetherolf Rogers.
Explaining the decision, 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.'
It comes as Elizabeth’s attorney, Thomas Stolly, criticised statements made by law enforcement: “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.”
Meanwhile, Gary Siders Sr suffered a fall and a medical episode while on his way to court and was granted a release on a recognizance bond due to his poor health.
The 16 children were discovered living in 'terrible' conditions.
They are aged from 18 months to 18 and it has been reported the eldest child could not write her own name.
They are under the care of officials in Ohio.
Attorney General Andy Wilson said: “I mean, it looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible.
“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."
VT reports there is an expected delay in prosecution due to the very limited communication skills of the children.
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.
19 October 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.
The kids were allegedly absent for the entirety of the 2021-2022 academic year.
January 2022
The truancy cases against the Siders family are closed because they could not be located or served, according to court records reviewed by WCHS.
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.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth also asks to be released from prison and her bond changed to a recognizance bond. Stolly says: "The Defendant maintains that her principal desire [is] to reunite with her children; she understands that reunification of any sort is an impossibility if she does not appear before this Court."
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.
Daniel Murphy