Elizabeth Siders, a 34-year-old mother of 16 children, appeared in Vinton County court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including 19 counts of child endangerment and two counts each of sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in a separate case.
Siders was arrested on June 30 along with her husband, Gary Siders Jr., and her in-laws, Gary Siders Sr. and Christina Siders. The child endangerment charges stem from conditions authorities described as horrific, with the children found living in a home littered with feces. Some of the children were unable to speak, according to prosecutors.
Separate Sexual Battery Case
In a separate case, Siders and her husband were indicted on August 21 on charges of sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The indictments accuse the couple of sexual abuse against a minor who was between the ages of 13 and 16 in 2022. The victim was not one of Elizabeth Siders’ children, but the indictments state she acted “in loco parentis,” meaning she was responsible for the victim’s care.
Court Appearance and Bond
During Wednesday’s arraignment, Siders hung her head as the judge ordered her to have no contact with her children, the minor victim, or her husband. The judge set her bond at $250,000, in addition to her existing $300,000 bond for the child endangerment charges. She remained in jail as of Thursday.
Her defense attorney, Thomas Stolly, told the judge that Siders misses her children and raised questions about whether she herself is a victim. According to NBC affiliate WSAZ of Huntington, West Virginia, Stolly said, “We have an individual in Elizabeth who was married at age 15, who has essentially been pregnant for the better part of two decades, who has never fully gone through any postpartum period.”
Stolly expressed concern about the potential effects of repeated births and a lack of regular medical care. He previously requested a competency evaluation for Elizabeth, which was granted last month. The results are still pending.
Children in State Custody
The Siders children, who range in age from 1½ to 18, are currently in state custody. NBC News has reached out to Siders’ attorney for comment.