Family members of the 16 children rescued from deplorable conditions in a rural Ohio home say they had no idea so many kids were living inside, learning the shocking truth only through news reports.

Grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina “Lynn” Siders, 67, along with their son Gary “Bub” Siders Jr., 36, and his wife Elizabeth Siders, 33, were arrested after authorities discovered the children — ages 1 to 18 — confined in a cramped, feces-filled 12-by-12 room in their Vinton County home. The conditions were described as “third-world” and worse than those for local livestock.

Ronnie Fletcher, married to one of the grandparents’ daughters, said the extended family believed there were only about 10 children. “It’s been awful for the people that had no idea,” he told local media, adding that relatives would have intervened if they had known the extent of the alleged neglect. The family had been kept at arm’s length for years.

The children, many of whom can barely communicate and had never attended school, were rescued during an unrelated warrant search. Several required hospitalization, with some in serious condition. Authorities noted the oldest child, 18, is developmentally disabled and unable to write her name.

The four adults each face 16 counts of child endangerment and have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they could each face up to 192 years in prison. Fletcher expressed hope that the children receive help and that justice is served, emphasizing that distant relatives care about their well-being.

The case has horrified the small community of Hamden, raising questions about how the abuse went unnoticed for years. The children are now in state custody.

Source: NY Post