Authorities in Vinton County, Ohio, have arrested Elizabeth Siders, 33, and Gary Siders Jr., 36, on 16 counts of second-degree felony child endangering after 16 children were found living in deplorable, feral-appearing conditions in a Hamden home.

Several adults in the immediate family face charges or are charged with child endangerment, and the defendants have pleaded not guilty; some children exhibited feral behavior and limited speech, with births linked to a prior relationship of the couple.

The case centers on 16 siblings rescued from years of squalid conditions in a rural home; Vinton County prosecutors and grandparents are among those charged with felony child endangerment.

Ohio’s Department of Children and Youth will fund safety, treatment, and support for the children, with possible additional costs for court and police overtime.

The report from the Associated Press covers the incident and its broad legal and social implications for the county.

Defense attorney Thomas Stolly says he has met Elizabeth and that she cares for the children, stressing his role in the legal process and that he has not yet seen the children or learned full details of their conditions.

Three special prosecutors and state law enforcement help are being engaged to handle the criminal case without local compensation, with requests for state investigation support.

Officials are coordinating with the state Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to manage the crisis, aiming to share the workload and seek state funding where possible.

Vinton County warns that medical care costs for at least one defendant could bankrupt the county, prompting the grandfather’s release to receive hospital care at state expense.

The county anticipates substantial care expenses and is pursuing state aid to offset costs for the 16 siblings, many with medical needs or communication challenges.

Attorney General statements describe the conditions as deplorable and emphasize the urgent medical and safety needs of the children.

The county seeks and expects about $1 million in state funding to cover urgent care and placement costs for the 16 siblings, aged from 18 months to 18 years, some described as feral or nonverbal.