Pregnant girl, 14, married man, 48, to join Ohio 'house of horror's family
OHIO birth and marriage records indicate that at least three members of the extended Siders family got married as young teenagers, including the mother-of-16 arrested last month on multiple child endangerment charges.
The history of the Siders family of Ohio has come under scrutiny as a harrowing child endangerment case connected to a handful of family members came to light in recent weeks. Four adults—including Gary Siders Jr., 36; Gary Siders, 73; Elizabeth Siders, 34; and Christina Siders, 67—were arrested last month after police carried out a search warrant obtained in response to a tip about Elizabeth's husband, Gary, allegedly exposing himself to neighbours on four separate occasions.
Authorities claim that the family's Hamden home was found in deplorable conditions. Unexpectedly, investigators also found 16 "almost feral" children, between the ages of 18 months and 18 years old, allegedly living in a faeces-infested 12-foot-by-12-foot room. Some were unable to communicate, and several had to be taken to the hospital for treatment, police said. The state has since allocated funds to help treat the children, who have reportedly been admitted into foster care. It also emerged Elizabeth Siders had 4 sets of twins in 3 years, including conjoined sisters who died.
All four adults were booked into custody at Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail with bail set at $300,000 per defendant. All of them entered not guilty pleas.
Details have continued to emerge about the case and the Siders' family history in recent weeks following their high-profile arrests.
Fresh information uncovered by The Columbus Dispatch indicates that at least three extended Siders family members were married as young teenagers, including the marriage of pregnant 14-year-old Tessi Wright to her 48-year-old boyfriend, Richard E. Siders, in 2002. Richard, who is now deceased, was a cousin of Gary Siders Sr., Tessi told The New York Times.
The other teen marriages include the marriage of 15-year-old Elizabeth Russell to Gary Siders Jr. in 2008. Estimates suggest he would have been between the ages of 17 and 18 at the time, though his exact age remains unclear.
Two months after the wedding, the couple got pregnant with their first of 18 children, The Columbus Dispatch reports, though the Ohio child endangerment case only involves 16 kids. Additionally, 15-year-old Virginia Siders married Joshua Saunders in 2003.
Authorities were left 'appalled' by the deplorable conditions of the Hamden home -Credit:WSYX ABC 6
Advocates against child marriage have pointed to the case as evidence for the desperate need to update marriage laws.
Since 2019, Ohio has barred young teens who were frequently pregnant from getting married after a bombshell investigation by the Dayton Daily News. Lawmakers changed the minimum age for marriage to 18. However, there is a loophole for 17-year-olds under special circumstances.
Between 2000 and 2024, at least 15 children under the age of 15 got married in Ohio, including two 10-year-old girls in 2017.
