The Vinton County mother facing multiple felony charges involving her own 16 children pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges she sexually abused a child she’s related to.
Elizabeth Siders entered the plea at her arraignment in Vinton County Court of Common Pleas. She was indicted last month on two counts each of sexual battery and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
Siders is the child’s aunt, according to the indictment, which notes the child was at least 13 years old but younger than 16.
The judge set her bond in this case at $250,000. That’s on top of her $300,000 bond in the child endangerment case that led to her children being removed.
Siders’ attorney Thomas Stolly argued bond to be set at $250,000 total, claiming she has no ability to post that bond.
Siders was arrested in late June after officers found her children living in deplorable conditions in their home in the Village of Hamden. She faces multiple counts of felony and misdemeanor child endangerment in that case.
The discovery of the children came from the investigation into the sexual abuse case. Officers found them while serving a search warrant at the home to get a sample of DNA from Siders’ husband Gary Siders Jr., who also faces charges in this case.
Elizabeth, Gary Jr., and his parents, Gary Siders Sr. and Christina Siders, were initially charged with multiple counts of child endangerment in connection with the 16 children found in the home.
Gary Sr. has since been deemed incompetent to stand trial after an evaluation found he is mentally unwell and is “not restorable.” He was released from jail on a recognizance bond several weeks ago and will remain free as the prosecutor decides what to do next.
The three remaining defendants, at their request, are also all being evaluated to determine whether they are competent to stand trial. The evaluations are done by psychiatrists, who will issue a report to the judge, who will make a final determination after a hearing.
Stolly said Wednesday that Elizabeth’s evaluation has not yet been filed.
