Grandfather of 16 children in 'house of horrors' found incompetent to stand trial as judge makes ruling
The grandfather from the 'House of Horrors', in which 16 children were found living in 'deplorable' conditions, has been found unfit for trial.
Gary Siders Sr. was arrested and charged with child endangerment, alongside his wife Christina Siders, their son Gary Siders Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth Siders, after authorities happened to discover the horrific condition of their Ohio home.
All four adults pleaded not guilty to the charges, however, 73-year-old Siders Sr. has now been found to be mentally incompetent and therefore unfit for trial.
According to the Associated Press, Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer has chosen not to challenge the results of the mental evaluation Siders Sr. underwent.
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Siders' attorney Dorian Baum has told how his client has been suffering from declining mental health for several years, adding that his condition is 'not restorable'.
As per the publication, he said: "It’s not really a surprise to any of us that he’s not been found competent at this point.
"He doesn’t fully understand or appreciate what’s going on."
It is yet to be decided what will happen to Siders Sr., who has been released from jail following his medical evaluation.
The prosecution will now have to decide whether to dismiss the criminal charges or ask the court to determine whether he needs involuntary psychiatric or medical care if he poses a danger.
The other option would be to leave the charges pending, however this is extremely unlikely given the fact doctors have said restoration his mental health is not possible.
His wife Elizabeth, son Gary and daughter-in-law Christina all remain in custody.
The update in the case comes more than two months after authorities rescued 16 children, ranging ages from 18 months to 18 years old, who had allegedly been living in a room measuring roughly 12ft by 12ft, and in seriously poor health.
Seven of the children were taken straight to hospital due to their condition, while two more were airlifted to trauma centers, with one believed to be in a critical condition.
Sheriff Ryan Cain said communicating with the children was extremely difficult as some were very limited verbally and others could not speak at all.
All 16 children were placed in state custody after being removed from the home, with the Ohio Controlling Board granting more than $1 million in emergency funding to help Vinton County care for them while meeting their substantial support needs.
Because of the severity of the alleged neglect and abuse, the children need very unique therapeutic foster care due to their significant developmental, communication and trauma-related needs, People reports.
Topics: US News, True crime, Crime, Ohio
Emma Rosemurgey