Haunting Blueprint: A floor plan of the Ohio h0rror house reveals a chilling hidden space and the Siders family’s only bathroom
DISTURBING floor plans of the Ohio house of horrors where 16 children were found have revealed a chilling hidden space – and just one bathroom for the family of 20.
Newly uncovered county property records paint a grim picture of the cramped home where prosecutors claim the children endured years of neglect before four relatives were arrested.
According to property records from the Vinton County Auditor’s Office reviewed by Los Angeles Magazine, the century-old Hamden home at 182 Ohmer Street measures just 1,336 square feet and has only a single full bathroom despite allegedly housing 20 people.
The official floor plans also show a 518-square-foot basement beneath part of the property, although investigators have previously said reports that all 16 children lived downstairs are false.
Authorities have alleged the youngsters were instead kept confined upstairs, while neighbors and investigators said the smell of human waste, garbage and animal feces rose from the basement and spread through the house.
The sketch also reveals two first-floor additions, a front porch and a rear wooden deck, with the modest property made up of just five rooms in total, according to county records.
The home was built in 1900 and is listed as a single-family residence, the records show.
It is currently appraised at $68,670, with the building itself valued at just over $42,000.
Annual property taxes are listed at less than $1,000.
The shocking details come after Vinton County investigators entered the property on June 30 while responding to what authorities have said was an unrelated investigation.
According to prosecutors, officers discovered 16 children, aged between 18 months and 18 years, allegedly living in deplorable conditions.
Gary Siders Jr., Elizabeth Siders, Gary Siders Sr. and Christina “Lynn” Siders have each been charged with 16 felony counts of child endangering.
Prosecutors allege the children suffered prolonged neglect and abuse.
The case has since been sent to a grand jury and remains under investigation.
Law enforcement has previously described the conditions inside the home in graphic detail, while alleging the children were confined to a single room. A gag order has since been imposed on several defendants.
It comes as the children’s grandmother, Christina Siders, has filed her own request for a gag order after being charged alongside her husband, son and daughter-in-law over the alleged abuse.
According to WOWK, Christina’s attorney has asked the court to bar further public comments about her role in the case – mirroring a request already granted to her son, Gary Siders Jr.
It is not yet known whether the judge will approve the latest motion.
All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Gary Siders Sr. was released on a recognizance bond after suffering a medical emergency, with Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer saying his treatment “could potentially bankrupt Vinton County” if he remained in custody.
Elizabeth Siders has also asked to be released, with her attorney saying her “principal desire” is to be reunited with her children.
The latest court fight comes after records revealed the family had already come to the attention of authorities five years before the children were rescued.
Court documents obtained by NewsNation affiliate WCMH show Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders were hit with a truancy complaint in October 2021 after six of their oldest children allegedly failed to attend a single day of school during the 2021-22 school year at Addaville Elementary School.
The case was dismissed in January 2022 after officials were unable to locate the parents, with records stating their whereabouts were unknown.
Authorities have since said the children had no school records, no medical records and no previous Child Protective Services involvement before the June 30 rescue.
Officers stumbled upon the children while executing a search warrant linked to unrelated allegations involving Gary Siders Jr., investigators said.
Authorities alleged the youngsters – aged between 18 months and 18 years old – were living in filthy conditions, with many confined to a 12ft-by-12ft area for years.
Seven children were taken to hospitals in Columbus, including two who were airlifted by helicopter, while one child was initially listed in critical condition.
Investigators also said some of the children were unable to speak, and alleged the oldest, an 18-year-old, could not write her own name.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson described what investigators found as “pure evil”, saying: “This is very, it was terrible. I mean, it looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible.”
He also alleged the children had spent most of the last four years confined to an area no larger than 12ft by 12ft, adding: “Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children. It was just a disgusting scene.”
