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Ohio mother of 16 children rescued from ‘deplorable’ conditions pleads not guilty to child neglect
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Elizabeth Siders, an Ohio mother of 16 children, pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of child endangerment and neglect after authorities found her children living in deplorable conditions in a small Hamden village home.
- The children, aged 17 months to 18 years, were confined to a small room with human waste, had not attended school, and some were unable to speak, with the eldest developmentally disabled.
- Elizabeth and her husband, Gary Siders Jr, face additional charges including sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor involving a relative aged 13 to 16; both have pleaded not guilty, and competency evaluations have been requested.
- Elizabeth's attorney cited her lifelong pregnancies since marrying at 15 and lack of postpartum care as factors contributing to mental health issues and requested a competency evaluation to assess her ability to understand the charges.
- The judge increased Elizabeth Siders' bond to $550,000, deemed her a flight risk, and ordered no contact between her and her husband; the case is ongoing pending competency evaluations.
