Ohio mother of 16 children pleads not guilty to child endangerment charges

A Vinton County judge heard the case of Elizabeth Siders, 34, who faces 16 charges of child endangerment and neglect after authorities discovered her 16 children, aged 17 months to 18 years, living in a cramped, unsanitary room in Hamden. The children had not attended school, and several displayed developmental and speech delays, according to investigators.

Siders entered a plea of not guilty on Wednesday, and the judge increased her bond from $250,000 to $550,000, citing flight-risk concerns. She and her husband, Gary Siders Jr., have also been indicted on separate sexual-battery and unlawful sexual-conduct charges involving a teenage relative who was in their care in 2022. Gary Siders Jr. pleaded not guilty in August, and their father, Gary Siders Sr., was recently found incompetent to stand trial.

The defense attorney, Tommy Stolly, argued that Siders has been pregnant for most of her adult life, beginning with a marriage at age 15, and has not received consistent postpartum or medical care. He suggested that these circumstances may have contributed to mental-health issues and raised questions about her competency to understand the alleged conduct.

"We have an individual … who was married at age 15, who has essentially been pregnant for the better part of two decades … [Siders] has never fully gone through any postpartum period and has not been receiving regular medical care that would be appropriate for someone who has had 16, 18 children," Stolly told the court.

Stolly requested a competency evaluation, which remains pending and will influence further legal proceedings.

The court has ordered that Siders have no contact with her children while the case proceeds.