Mum in ‘house of horrors’ case where 16 children discovered living like ‘feral animals’ is pregnant again
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Elizabeth Siders, the mother accused in the Ohio 'house of horrors' case where authorities say they discovered 16 children living in terrible conditions, is pregnant again.
Her legal representative Tommy Stolly announced her pregnancy to reporters as he said he would like a second look at the evaluation of her mental state and her capability to stand trial.
WOUB reports that Siders has been evaluated to determine whether she was mentally competent to stand trial, and after a hearing yesterday (9 November) where a judge ruled she was Stolly added that she was pregnant.
Advert
He didn't provide further details or a due date, at a previous hearing in September when asked about a possible pregnancy he'd said he 'can't address that at this time'.
The lawyer has called for a second look at her evaluation to investigate whether Elizabeth Siders could be found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Both Gary Siders Sr and Christina Siders, Elizabeth's in-laws, have been found not to be mentally competent enough for a trial, with a judge dismissing the case against Siders Sr on those grounds.
Christina Siders was found to have signs of dementia and is being sent to a facility for treatment, as her evaluation showed she could be restored to competency and potentially stand trial.
An evaluation for Gary Siders Jr, Elizabeth's husband, is also part of the preparation for a trial.
The Siders family were taken into custody on 30 June after officials who visited their Ohio home said they found children aged between 18 months and 18 years old living together in a 12ft by 12ft room with authorities believing they have been trapped in there for several years.
The parents and grandparents were charged with felony child endangerment, they all pleaded not guilty.
Ohio's attorney general Andy Wilson described the scene as 'pure evil' and said the children taken from the house 'looked like almost feral animals'.
Stolly argued that he'd seen things which go against the official version of events, saying that the children of Elizabeth and Gary Jr were able to speak and communicated verbally with the police when they entered the room.
He said that Wilson's comments had been 'frankly inappropriate remarks' and claimed there was 'no evidence that these kids were not free to move about the house'.
"If we're talking about feral children, those are children who do not understand the world. If the kids can speak, I think that changes the analysis," the lawyer said, adding that Elizabeth Siders disagrees with the claims from officials.
"My client, the mom of these children, absolutely disputes that."
Discussing why the home was described as being in an inhabitable state, Stolly said: "This is very clearly a case where my client and the Siders family were living in extreme poverty.
"What she's said to me is that with 16 kids, things could get messy fast. I don't know more beyond that."
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.
Joe Harker
