Nearly two months after four adults were arrested for having 16 children live in an Ohio “House of Horrors,” prosecutors announced they’re seeking additional felony charges against the kids’ mother, Elizabeth Siders.
Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said a grand jury will consider new charges for the adults in the case, according to a pair of memoranda that were filed last week. The filing was made in response to motions by attorneys for Christina Siders and Elizabeth, 33, after they asked for their $300,000 bonds to be reduced.
While responding to Elizabeth’s motion, Archer revealed that the grand jury would decide whether she would receive “new serious felony charges,” according to People.
However, Archer did not say what the additional charges could be. He also did not reveal when the grand jury will vote on whether to indict the four adult Siders family members.
While Christina, 67, also filed a memorandum, prosecutors did not share any plans to hit her with additional charges.
As Us previously reported, Elizabeth, Christina, Gary Siders Sr. and Gary Siders Jr. were taken into custody on June 30 after police filed 16 counts of child neglect against each adult.
At the time of the arrests, authorities found Elizabeth and Gary Jr.’s 16 children confined to a single room in the unkempt home that all of the family members lived in.
Elizabeth was just 15 years old when she married Gary Jr., now 36, and she welcomed their first child three months later. She went on to give birth to at least 18 children. Two of her children, who were conjoined twins, were delivered prematurely and died shortly after Elizabeth gave birth.
In her recent filing, Elizabeth’s attorney asked that her bond be reduced so that she can reunite with her children. However, prosecutors responded in their own memorandum that Elizabeth would be a “potential risk to the victims in this case” if she is released from jail.
Additionally, Elizabeth’s attorney, Tommy Stolly, asked for a “formal evaluation be conducted in order to determine whether [Elizabeth] is competent at this time to stand trial to the offenses as charged herein,” according to the outlet.
Stolly also asked for a second evaluation in order “to determine if she is not guilty by reason of insanity, because she was suffering from a condition which would produce legal insanity at the time of the alleged offenses.”
A judge has not yet responded to the requests.
All four codefendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
