The Ohio mother of 16 children charged with sweeping child abuse allegations has requested to be reunited with her kids during the trial.
Elizabeth Siders, 33, is being held on a $300,000 bond, but her lawyer has argued that she should be allowed to leave the jail under certain conditions, citing her lack of criminal history.
The lawyer, J. Thomas Stolly, has stated that Siders' primary goal is to reunite with her children, and that reunification is unlikely if she does not appear in court.
The other two suspects, Gary Siders Sr. and Christina Siders, have entered not guilty pleas and are also being held on a $300,000 bond.
Prosecutors have confirmed that all 16 children, ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years, have been removed from the Siders' care and are receiving medical attention.
Officials have emphasized that the case is an intra-family situation and not an instance of human trafficking, with Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer stating that there is no reason to believe other children are at risk.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has been briefed on the case, describing the conditions the children were living in as "heartbreaking" and expressing gratitude to the children's services workers, law enforcement, and medical personnel involved.
Attorney General Andy Wilson has publicly spoken out about the case, describing the conditions as "pure evil" and stating that several children were in serious condition when found, with two being flown to Level 1 trauma centers.
Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain has also described the conditions as "horrid," with a high presence of feces and bacterial matter.
