Two men, Josh Saunders, 23, and Brandon Henderson Sr., 40, have been charged with sexual abuse alongside the parents of 16 children who were rescued from a house in Hamden, Ohio, under poor living conditions. The charges were announced by prosecutors in Vinton County on Friday. Henderson faces 21 charges related to endangering children, while Saunders has been indicted on three counts of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition.
Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the victims, but confirmed they are minors. The investigation into allegations of child sex abuse began in December and led to the charges against Saunders and Henderson, which also prompted a probe into the Siders family, resulting in the discovery of the living conditions at the home.
Public records indicate that Henderson is related to the Siders family, as he is the uncle of the 16 children rescued on June 30. He is married to Virginia, a member of the Siders family. Virginia's brother, Gary Jr., was also married to Joshua D. Saunders, 42, who has been incarcerated since 2009 on murder charges. The exact relationship between the younger Saunders and the Siders family remains unclear.
Gary and Elizabeth Siders have been charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and sexual battery for alleged mistreatment of a minor not related to them, occurring between January and September 2022.