Gary Siders Sr., a 73-year-old grandfather from southern Ohio, has been declared mentally incompetent to stand trial following a June 30 raid on his rural property in Hamden, Ohio, where 16 children aged between 18 months and 18 years were discovered living in a cramped 12-by-12-foot room amid severe squalor and human waste. The children, who had been subjected to severe educational neglect and developmental delays, were found in a state of extreme deprivation, with some unable to speak and appearing 'almost like feral animals,' according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described the scene as 'disgusting' upon police entry. The case stems from a June 30 raid that was initially part of a separate sex crimes investigation, which led to the discovery of the children. Gary Siders Sr. faces 16 counts of child endangerment, but the court has ruled him unfit to stand trial due to a prolonged cognitive decline, with his defense attorney stating that he is 'permanently unrestorable.' The judge has kept Siders' bond active while the state decides whether to drop the charges or pursue civil commitment through probate court. Legal proceedings against Siders' wife Christina Siders, 68, his son Gary Siders Jr., 36, and his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Siders, 33, remain active, with all three pleading not guilty to 19 counts of child endangerment. Court records reveal that child protective services had investigated the family in 2020 due to reports of severe educational neglect, including an 11-year-old unable to write the alphabet and a 13-year-old who had dropped out of school. Despite concerns about lead poisoning and unsanitary living conditions, the agency permitted the parents to retain custody before closing the file five months later. The children, who had been moved through various Ohio counties over two decades without formal schooling or medical histories, were hospitalized for medical evaluation before being placed in state protective custody. Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders also face separate charges related to sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The case highlights systemic failures in child protective services and the severe consequences of prolonged neglect.