Relatives of the Ohio family accused of keeping 16 children in appalling conditions say they were left stunned after learning the true scale of what investigators allegedly discovered inside the rural home, insisting they had no idea so many children were living there or that authorities would later describe the property as one of the worst child neglect scenes they had ever encountered.

The arrests of four members of the Siders family have shocked both the local community and extended relatives after law enforcement officers said they found children ranging in age from 1 to 18 living in filthy, overcrowded conditions inside a home in Vinton County.

Authorities arrested grandparents Gary Siders Sr., 73, and Christina “Lynn” Siders, 67, along with their son, 36-year-old Gary “Bub” Siders Jr., and his wife, 33-year-old Elizabeth Siders.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of child endangerment.

According to investigators, the children had allegedly been confined to a cramped room measuring roughly 12 by 12 feet, where human waste covered portions of the living area and basic sanitation was almost nonexistent.

Officials described the residence as “deplorable” and compared the conditions to those found in impoverished parts of the developing world, saying livestock often live in cleaner environments.

The allegations have horrified family members who say they had little contact with the household for years.

Ronnie Fletcher, who is married to one of Gary Sr. and Christina’s adult daughters, said the family knew Gary Jr. and Elizabeth had several children but believed there were around ten—not sixteen.

The first time they realized the actual number of children was after reading news reports about the arrests.

The revelation, he said, left the extended family in complete disbelief.

According to Fletcher, everyone was devastated to learn about the allegations and immediately began worrying about the welfare of the children.

He insisted relatives would have stepped in long ago had they known what authorities now allege was happening behind closed doors.

“If we had known,” Fletcher said, “we would have done something.”

He explained that family members would have offered financial assistance, temporary housing or even taken the children into their own homes if they had understood the seriousness of the situation.

Instead, he said, the immediate family had gradually become isolated from the rest of their relatives over several years.

Fletcher recalled that he and his wife had not even known the family’s exact address for nearly seven years.

Although they occasionally knew the general area where the family was living, he said they often believed the information they received was incomplete or inaccurate.

He added that the first time they actually saw the property was through television news coverage following the arrests.

Despite the growing distance, Fletcher said family members still occasionally tried to help.

About a year ago, he recalled, relatives gave the family a vehicle.

At other times, Christina reportedly contacted family members asking for money to pay utility bills or cover other household expenses.

Whenever possible, relatives sent money or arranged for another family member to provide assistance.

Nothing about those requests, Fletcher said, suggested the horrifying conditions investigators would later uncover.

He explained that the older daughters in the family had grown up in what he described as a normal household.

According to Fletcher, Gary Jr. was much younger than his four sisters, creating a significant age gap that contributed to the family gradually drifting apart over time.

He also reflected on Gary Jr.’s relationship with Elizabeth.

Fletcher said Elizabeth came from a difficult home environment before moving in with Gary Sr. and Christina years earlier.

She married Gary Jr. in 2008 while she was still a teenager, and the couple welcomed their first child only a short time later.

Looking back, Fletcher said nothing about those early years suggested the family would one day become the focus of such disturbing allegations.

He described Gary Sr. and Christina as parents who had once maintained a clean home and successfully raised children who became productive adults.

Their four daughters, he noted, have gone on to establish stable lives of their own.

That contrast has made the allegations even more difficult for relatives to understand.

Fletcher also expressed frustration over rumors circulating online following the arrests.

He said some social media users have accused the broader family of generational abuse or incest.

He strongly rejected those claims, insisting the allegations involve only the individuals charged in this case.

Authorities have said the investigation includes allegations of abuse occurring within the family, but investigators continue working to determine the exact relationships among all sixteen children.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost previously described aspects of the investigation as involving intra-family abuse while emphasizing that detectives are still gathering evidence.

One of the most troubling discoveries made after the children were rescued involved their developmental condition.

Investigators say none of the children had ever been enrolled in school.

Authorities believe they received little or no formal education.

Several reportedly struggled to communicate with investigators.

Some children could barely speak, while others appeared unable to communicate verbally at all.

Officials also revealed that the oldest child, now 18 years old, has developmental disabilities and reportedly could not even write her own name.

Medical evaluations conducted after the rescue painted an equally alarming picture.

The children were transported to hospitals throughout Ohio for treatment.

Some required immediate emergency care.

At least two children were airlifted to trauma centers because of the seriousness of their medical condition.

One child reportedly required intubation after being admitted.

Doctors continue evaluating the long-term physical and psychological effects of the alleged neglect.

Authorities believe many of the children had spent years isolated from the outside world.

Investigators allege they had been living in those conditions for at least four years.

Law enforcement officials say the children now face an enormous challenge as they begin adjusting to life outside the home.

Many have never attended school, interacted regularly with people outside their immediate family or experienced ordinary childhood activities.

Fletcher acknowledged that neither he nor other relatives are currently able to take custody of the children.

Nevertheless, he wanted them to know they have family members who genuinely care about their future.

He expressed hope that they will receive the medical treatment, counseling and educational support necessary to rebuild their lives.

He also said those responsible should be held accountable if the allegations are proven in court.

The criminal case remains in its early stages.

Each of the four defendants has pleaded not guilty to sixteen counts of child endangerment.

A judge set bail at $300,000 for each defendant.

Court proceedings are continuing, with additional hearings scheduled in the coming weeks.

If convicted on every charge currently filed against them, each defendant could face decades behind bars.

Meanwhile, child welfare officials continue working to stabilize the sixteen children, whose lives changed dramatically after investigators entered the home and uncovered what authorities have described as one of the most disturbing child neglect cases the state has seen in recent years.

As the legal process unfolds, investigators continue gathering evidence while extended family members struggle to understand how such conditions allegedly existed for years without anyone realizing the full extent of what was happening behind the doors of the isolated Ohio home.