Four adults have been arrested following the shocking discovery of 16 children inside a tiny decaying house where they are believed to have been for over four years05:41, 02 Jul 2026Police have rescued 16 children who 'looked like feral animals' from a tiny decaying house as four adults face charges.‌The children who were 'kept in worse conditions than livestock' were found by the Vinton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio on Tuesday morning after executing a search warrant as part of an ongoing investigation.‌‌The horrifying discovery revealed an appalling scene, with the youths all cramped inside a ruined three-and-a-half square metre property that was covered in human waste.The shocking conditions were described as 'pure evil,' according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson.‌It is believed the children were kept in the 'house' for nearly four years.Wilson said the children lived in "conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in."He added that some of the children were unable to speak, with an 18-year-old in the property unable to write her name according to investigators.‌Wilson said: "It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible."Two parents and grandparents were each charged with 17 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony.‌The suspects were identified as Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders.The gruesome scene is located in the small town of Hamden, which has a population of less than 1,000 people and is around 60 miles southeast of Columbus.‌Prosecuting attorney William Archer said the carers were responsible of causing "serious physical harm".Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain echoed his shock at the discovery. He said: "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children."‌Officials said that the children ranged from 18 months to 18-years-old and included girls and boys.Seven were rushed to hospitals in Columbus with two flown by helicopter.Wilson said that one child was in a critical condition on Tuesday as others were admitted for care.‌He added that the primary focus at this moment was the children's medical conditions however acknowledged the emotional impact their captivity will have had.Officials did not confirm how all the children were related, but said it was not a human trafficking situation.‌The four suspects are not locals and authorities believed they have been travelling in order to avoid setting up medical and government records."These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids," Mr Wilson said.Prosecuting Attorney Archer said: "Our children deserve better from their parents, guardians, and custodians. No child should endure these kinds of conditions.‌"My office will do everything in our power to make sure these children get the love and care they deserve. My office will prosecute these persons to the fullest extent of the law."Neighbours said they had not seen any children before.‌Joseph Stewart, 60, said he saw "no kids at all" since the family moved in three houses down from his property despite having a clear view of the garden."It's a sad situation," he said.Mr Stewart has been a resident on the street for six years and called it "a quiet neighbourhood".‌Terri Siders, a relative of the family, told NBC News that she had not heard from the family in over eight years."I knew little Gary had kids, yeah. I don't remember meeting any of the kids, though," she said.Article continues below"I knew they had a lot of kids through family talking years ago, but there's no way I thought they had that many kids."The four suspects appeared in the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday morning and remain in jail with a $300,000 bail fee.Investigators believed that the Siders have lived in multiple Ohio counties since 2008 and are reviewing whether they had previously been reported to children's services.