Conjoined twins born in Ohio incest house of horrors where 16 kids lived like 'feral animals'

Mum of 16 'feral' children found in Ohio house of horrors gave birth to conjoined twins The mother of 16 children rescued from a house of horrors, living like 'feral animals', once gave birth to conjoined twins who died the same day, newly released state records have disclosed The mother of 16 children rescued from a house of horrors, living like 'feral animals,' once gave birth to conjoined twins, newly released state records have revealed. Sixteen children have been taken from a squalid, crumbling property where they were "kept in worse conditions than livestock." US authorities have characterised the alleged crimes as an 'intrafamily' case, suggesting some of the children may have been born from incestuous relationships within the family. Officials say the children, aged between 18 months and 18 years old, "looked like feral animals" with four adults, Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders, believed to be the parents and grandparents, now facing criminal charges. Prosecutor William Archer said the carers were responsible for causing "serious physical harm". New documentation uncovered relating to the case reveals that Elizabeth Siders gave birth to daughters Bailey Lee and Faith Lee Siders at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, in 2022, reports the Express. They were born with a condition called thoracopagus, where their faces and chests were conjoined. They tragically died later that day, according to the records. Officers were met with a harrowing scene, with all the children crammed into a dilapidated three-and-a-half square metre space covered in human waste. The shocking conditions, which the children are said to have suffered for four years, were branded "pure evil," by Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. Wilson described the children as existing in "conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in." He noted that several children were unable to speak, with investigators disclosing that an 18 year old found at the property could not write her own name. Wilson stated: "It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible." Two parents and two grandparents each face 17 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony. Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain expressed his horror at the discovery, stating: "Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children." Seven of the children were transferred to hospitals in Columbus, with two needing emergency airlift. Wilson confirmed that one child remained in a critical condition on Tuesday, while the remaining children were undergoing medical treatment. He stressed that addressing the children's physical wellbeing was the immediate priority, while also recognising the profound psychological trauma their lengthy ordeal would have caused. Officials refused to detail the exact family connections between the children, but confirmed this was not a case of human trafficking. The four suspects have no ties to the area, with detectives believing they had been continuously moving to prevent creating medical and governmental records. "These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids," Mr Wilson said. Prosecutor Archer stated: "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." The four accused appeared at Vinton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday morning and are being held on $300,000 bail. Detectives believe the Siders family has been residing across multiple Ohio counties since 2008 and are investigating whether they had any prior contact with children's services. The shocking find occurred in the tiny township of Hamden, with a population of under 1,000, located approximately 60 miles south-east of Columbus.