VINTON COUNTY, Ohio —
A judge has granted a gag order in the case of one of the four adults accused of keeping 16 children in “deplorable conditions in a rural Ohio home.

The gag order was requested by the attorney for Gary Siders Jr. It was granted Tuesday by Judge Laura Fetherolf Rogers.

Siders is charged along with his parents and wife in the case of 16 children found living in “deplorable conditions” in a home in Vinton County, Ohio.

The four are each charged with 16 counts of child endangerment.

Siders Jr. attorney requested a gag order, stating multiple public officials made “highly inflammatory statements” arguing it could make it impossible for the case to have a fair trial.

The attorney cited several statements in the gag order made by public officials, such as Attorney General Andy Wilson calling the situation “pure evil” and the Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain saying, “most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children.”

The judge granted the gag order, prohibiting members of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office, Vinton County Clerk of Courts, Vinton County Sheriff’s Office, defense counsel, attorneys connected to the case, court personnel and public officials tied to the case from speaking about it publicly or sharing information outside of official court hearings and filed legal documents.