A family member of the Ohio couple charged with child endangerment after 16 children were discovered in what authorities described as horrific living conditions has addressed the claims.
Ronnie Fletcher, the husband of the daughter of Gary Siders, Sr., and Christina ‘Lynn’ Siders, spoke to WOWK-TV about the alleged situation inside the home and said relatives were stunned by what investigators found.
According to Fletcher, the wider family had no idea about the conditions until the case became public.
“Horrified. Worried about the kids. It’s hard to explain the action when you’re distant family,” Fletcher told the outlet.
“What can I do to help?’ That was the original reaction to it.”
Authorities say the four adults arrested in the case — Gary Siders, Sr., Christina Siders, Gary Siders, Jr., and Elizabeth Siders — were taken into custody after law enforcement executed a search warrant in Hamden, a small village in southern Ohio, during an unrelated investigation. Prosecutors have said the case is not believed to involve human trafficking, but rather an intra-family situation.
Officials said the 16 children were found in a dilapidated home in what they described as deplorable conditions, with human waste, trash, and other debris throughout the property. Investigators also said the children appeared to have been confined largely to a single room for much of the past four years.
The children were said to be between one and a half years old and 18, and included both boys and girls.
All four suspects were taken into custody on June 30 and pleaded not guilty during a July 1 arraignment. A judge set bond at $300,000 for each defendant.
Fletcher said that while he and his wife are the children’s aunt and uncle, the family had grown apart over time and were no longer in close contact. He said the relatives had drifted apart rather than been in the middle of an active dispute.
He also told WOWK-TV there had not been a family dispute, but rather that relatives had simply drifted and were living separate lives.
The relative said the fallout has been severe for family members who say they knew nothing about what was allegedly happening.
“It’s been awful for the people that had no idea that was going on the house that are related to this family.
“I mean, we’ve had death threats – we’ve been told that we need to be put in front of an execution line of guns and, you know, killed and burned. I mean, it’s been bad.”
Fletcher continued: “If we would have known that it was like that in that home, we would have done something about it, even if it was just to go there and take the kids ourselves or give them money. Them girls [Gary Sr. and Christina’s daughters] would have went there and cleaned the house themselves if they’d known it was like that.”
He said his children have since deleted their social media accounts because of threats, while his wife has been too afraid to go to work because she deals with the public.
Fletcher added that his family has been unable to live ‘normal lives’ despite, in his words, having ‘nothing to do with’ the allegations.
Investigators have also said none of the 16 children had been enrolled in school, and some were reportedly unable to speak. One 18-year-old girl who was described as developmentally disabled could not even write her name, according to authorities.
Officials said seven of the children were taken to hospitals, including one in critical condition, and child welfare officials have temporary custody of the children while the investigation continues.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said during a press conference: “These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids. We didn’t know there were going to be 16 kids there. It’s the type of thing that we’re not used to seeing here in America.
“They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible.”
Authorities have said the case may still evolve as investigators review the family’s records and determine whether any agencies were previously alerted. Prosecutors have also said additional charges could be considered as the investigation moves forward.