D!sturbing Discovery: What Elizabeth Siders allege...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Questions about how a 15-year-old could legally get married are now resurfacing as investigators examine the background of Elizabeth Siders, who is charged in connection with the rescue of 16 children from a Vinton County home.

Siders, now 33, faces 16 counts of endangering children after 16 kids were rescued from the home. Nearly 20 years ago, she was a 15-year-old who married Gary Siders Jr., who was 18 at the time, in Mason County, West Virginia.

A circuit court judge in West Virginia granted the marriage license in 2008. Two months later, the oldest victim in the case was born. The next victim was born when Siders was 16.

West Virginia family law attorney Amanda Alexander said that at the time, “there was no age minimum to marry in West Virginia.” Alexander said a 15-year-old could marry then with the consent of her parents.

ABC6 Investigates asked whether a judge could have stopped the marriage.

Alexander answered, “The judge absolutely could have stopped this marriage.”

But she said the law did not state the court needed to investigate.

Alexander said she would have wanted more information before allowing a marriage involving a minor. “I would want to know the relationship between the two. I’d want to appoint a guardian ad litem to interview the bride separately,” she said.

In 2023, West Virginia lawmakers introduced a new law aimed at raising the minimum marriage age to 18 with no exceptions, but that is not what ultimately passed. The minimum age was changed to 16 with parent and court consent, and the age gap between spouses should be no more than four years. There is still no requirement for a court investigation.

Alexander said courts should be asking more questions. When asked whether courts should be ensuring there is no victimization, she responded, “Absolutely.”

Investigators have not said whether Siders may also be considered a victim. ABC6 Investigates asked last week whether Siders gave birth to any or all of the children and whether she is a victim herself, Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said, “That is all still part of the ongoing investigation at this time. We can’t continue on that.”

Alexander said she sees broader failures that can allow situations to escalate. “Did she receive prenatal care as a minor? How many kids did she have as a minor? Did Job and Family Services look into it at that point? So, we didn’t get to the point that there were 16 children living in the basement,” she said.