The Vinton County prosecutor’s office asked the county commissioners for additional money “to help with the cost of the Siders case.”
Prosecutor William Archer asked for additional money at a July 14 commissioners meeting.
Archer has been prosecuting the child endangerment case against Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Elizabeth Siders and Christina Siders. The four are charged with 16 counts of child endangerment, with Gary Jr. separately facing four counts of public indecency.
The four are accused of keeping 16 kids in conditions that authorities have described as “horrific.”
Archer asked for an additional $20,000 to aid his office in the prosecution and because children’s services would be an additional burden to the county.
Archer said the 16 children are a part of a juvenile court case, where the state is seeking to take permanent custody of the kids on behalf of the county.
His request for the $20,000 came just a day after the Ohio Controlling Board approved $1 million toward the children’s care.
According to the minutes, the commissioners will discuss where this money will come from.
The minutes for the July 21 meeting have not been made public yet, as they have not been approved by the commissioners.