Gary Siders II.Credit : SOUTHEASTERN OHIO REGIONAL JAIL
NEED TO KNOW
Gary Siders II was “under the influence of alcohol/drugs” when booked into custody on June 30, according to a copy of his booking sheet obtained by PEOPLE
The booking sheet for his wife Elizabeth Siders, the mother of the 16 children rescued from the home, revealed that she is not currently pregnant
Gary entered a not guilty plea to 16 counts of child neglect, and his lawyer is requesting an evaluation to determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial
New information is being revealed about the parents whose 16 children were rescued from a so-called “House of Horrors” in Ohio on June 30.
Elizabeth and Gary Siders II are now in custody at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail (SEORJ), where they are both being held on a $300,000 bond after being charged with 16 counts of child neglect.
The two were arrested June 30 during a raid on their home in Hamden, a village about 75 miles south of Columbus. According to his booking sheet, Gary II was “under the influence of alcohol/drugs” at the time.
The booking sheet for Elizabeth revealed that she is not currently pregnant.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson alleged at a press conference on July 1 that the couple’s 16 children were largely confined to a 12-foot-by-12-foot room inside the home.
“They looked like almost feral animals,” said Wilson. “It was terrible.”
Elizabeth Ann Siders, Mugshot
Elizabeth Siders.SOUTHEASTERN OHIO REGIONAL JAIL
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Lieutenant Matthew Zartman of the SEORJ tells PEOPLE that when filling out booking sheets, the “general practice is for the arresting agency to complete it using personal observations, statements made by the individual, actions taken while in custody, and/or direct questions to the person.”
Zartman could not comment directly on the Siders case, however, because of a gag order covering information related to Gary II.
The booking sheets for the couple were first obtained by Plunder Studios.
Video of Gary II being booked into jail shows him speaking with an intake officer and pointing out the locations of his 11 tattoos. Those tattoos include seven hearts, four crosses and two hearts with crosses, according to his intake form.
At one point during this process, Gary can be seen smiling and waving to an individual in another room.
On Friday, an attorney for Gary II filed a motion that stated that his client will be requesting a mental competency evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
Roberts also asked to file documents supporting the evaluation request under seal because they “contain highly sensitive mental-health information, or information directly reflecting [Gary II’s] psychiatric condition.”
Police tape surrounds a home where authorities say they removed 16 children and arrested four adults in Hamden, Ohio, Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
The Siders home in Hamden, a village 75 miles south of Columbus.Carolyn Kaster/AP
The request follows Roberts’ July 14 motion for a gag order, which he argued was necessary to protect his client’s right to a fair trial.
That gag order is now in effect, and prohibits any member of law enforcement or attorney involved in the criminal proceedings from commenting on the child neglect case or the legal proceedings in a second, separate case that is now before the court involving Gary II.
Public indecency charges were formally filed against Gary II on the same day that deputies raided his home, and he is facing four misdemeanor counts in that separate case, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.
The case report notes that all four counts pertain to an alleged violation of an Ohio code that forbids “recklessly” “expos[ing] the person’s private parts,” and that the incidents occurred on May 25, 27, 29 and 31.
Gary II has entered a not guilty plea in the child neglect case and has yet to enter a plea in his public indecency case.
His attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
