Mum of 16 children discovered like 'feral animals' in house of horrors unrecognisable in photo six years before arrest
An image of the mother at the centre of the 'Ohio house of horrors' case, which was taken several years before her arrest, has surfaced.
Elizabeth Siders has been in custody since 30 June after authorities raided the dilapidated Vinton County home she shared with her husband, in-laws and 16 children.
Her lawyer previously described the 33-year-old as 'timid, exhausted and distraught' - but in a snap shared back in 2020, she looked a lot different.
Elizabeth was arrested alongside her spouse Gary Siders Jr, 36, and his parents Gary Siders Sr, 73, Christina Siders, 67, after cops found more than a dozen children living in 'deplorable' conditions.
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"Conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in," Ohio attorney general Andy Wilson said previously. "It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals."
The 16 children, whose ages range from 18 months to 18 years, were rescued from the property and currently remain in the care of officials in Ohio.
Details about their condition have not been disclosed, but Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer has said they are 'safe and being cared for' since being saved from their family home.
Their mother Elizabeth - who married into the Siders family when she was just 15 - is being held on a $300,000 bond, but her attorney Thomas Stolly has asked a judge to allow her to reunite with her offspring.
He hopes to secure her a recognizance bond, which would allow her to leave jail under certain conditions, according to a court filing obtained by WOWK 13.
"Through conversations with Counsel, 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," the filing states.
Stolly suggested his client is being held on 'excessive bail' and argued that as she was living 'in a home which exhibited extreme poverty', it is obvious that she cannot afford to pay the $300,000.
In the years before Elizabeth found herself embroiled in a criminal investigation, her appearance was starkly different.
An image shared to Facebook back in August 2020 - which is undated - shows the mum smiling, seemingly wearing makeup and sporting blonde hair.
Elizabeth's mum shared the snap alongside the caption: "Happy Birthday to my daughter Elizabeth it [sic] hard to believe.
"My younhest [sic] is 28 today love you mom and dad."
In comparison to her mugshot, Elizabeth is barely recognisable in the image. At the time it was uploaded, she would have already welcomed nine children into the world and was expecting her tenth.
Her legal representative previously shared his concerns that some of the alleged details released by officials in Ohio are not accurate, while he's also hit back at the 'language' being used to describe the Siders family.
Stolly recently reminded the public that the four adult relatives who were arrested are 'innocent until proven guilty' and claimed he has 'seen some things to contradict' some information released by authorities.
He also alleged that there is 'no indication that the kids were not free to move about the home' amid claims that the 16 kids were confined to a 12ft by 12ft room.
A media outlet recreated the same-size room and put 16 adults inside - and the volunteers who were in there for 10 minutes said it quickly became uncomfortable.
Those inside described it as being 'difficult to move around in', as well as 'stuffy and crowded'.
Elizabeth, Gary Jr and his mother Christina remain in custody, while Gary Sr was granted a recognizance bond due to his poor health. If he leaves hospital, he will be forced to wear a GPS monitor.
Residents who were living in close proximity to the Siders family have also spoken out in recent days, saying they have been left 'astounded' by what was allegedly going on behind closed doors.
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.
Olivia Burke