Ohio man whose 16 grandchildren were found living in squalid conditions is deemed incompetent to stand trial

Gary Siders Sr. was found mentally incompetent to stand trial on Wednesday. A judge in Vinton County, Ohio, accepted the findings of an evaluation report regarding the 73-year-old man, who faced charges related to the discovery of 16 grandchildren living in squalid conditions, CTV News reports.

The case began on June 30 when authorities rescued the children from a home in Hamden, located about 80 miles south of Columbus. Investigators noted that the children were mostly confined to a small room within the house.

The conditions were described as deplorable, and it appears the children were not enrolled in any school. Neighbors in the area reported that they had never spotted the children during the time the family lived there, a pattern that persisted as the family moved around over the past two decades.

When the children were found, they ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years

Authorities indicated that their medical conditions varied, with some of the children described as “feral” and unable to speak. Court records reveal that the eldest child was born in May 2008. This was two months after Gary Siders Jr., who was 18 at the time, and Elizabeth Siders, who was 15, traveled to the Mason County Courthouse in West Virginia to marry with her parents’ consent. Records show that Elizabeth Siders has been pregnant during most of the years since that time.

Gary Siders Sr. appeared in court in a wheelchair for the hearing. Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer did not object to the findings of the mental health evaluation. Following the hearing, defense attorney Dorian Baum spoke about the status of his client.

He noted that the mental health of Siders has been declining for years and is “not restorable.” Baum provided further context regarding the situation during his comments. “It’s not really a surprise to any of us that he’s not been found competent at this point,” Baum said. “He doesn’t fully understand or appreciate what’s going on.”

The legal proceedings for other family members are moving forward separately. Gary Siders Sr. was originally charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. Meanwhile, his wife, Christina Siders, along with his son Gary Siders Jr. and his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Siders, have all entered pleas of not guilty to the charges brought against them.