The grandmother accused in Ohio’s disturbing “House of Horrors” child abuse case wants taxpayers to pick up a $7,000 tab for a medical expert. This expert could potentially help determine whether she will ever be fit to stand trial.
Christina “Lynn” Siders, 67, is seeking court approval to hire a neuropsychologist at $350 an hour to investigate whether she suffers from cerebrovascular dementia, an irreversible condition.
In a supplemental motion filed Nov. 10 and obtained by Los Angeles, Assistant Ohio Public Defender Kandra D. Roberts requested money for 20 hours of work by Dr. Jeffrey D. Madden, a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist.
The hefty $7,000 would cover reviewing medical records, conducting interviews, analyzing brain imaging results and consulting with the defense. If additional hours are needed, Siders’ attorneys say they will return to court asking for more money.
The request surfaces as Siders faces multiple felony child-endangerment charges stemming from the discovery of 16 children allegedly living in deplorable conditions inside a cramped Hamden, Ohio, home.
The elder Siders underwent a court-ordered mental competency evaluation on Sept. 5. Psychologist Dr. Brian P. O’Reilly later issued a report stating that she showed several risk factors for a form of dementia caused by problems with blood flow to the brain. He recommended further testing to determine whether she has the condition.
Her attorneys argue that doctors need to rule out dementia before attempting to make her mentally fit to ever stand trial through medication or treatment at a psychiatric hospital.
“Multiple doctors have already stated that Mrs. Siders is at risk of cerebrovascular dementia and that a formal diagnosis is required,” Roberts wrote.
The defense claims that Appalachian Behavioral Health Hospital, where Siders could receive competency restoration treatment, doesn’t have the equipment and staff to perform the specialized neurological testing.
Roberts also emphasized that Siders is indigent and can’t afford any of this herself, citing Ohio law allowing reimbursement of certain expenses for court-appointed defense and services.
“The Constitutional right to due process entitles Christina Siders to a ‘fair and adequate opportunity’ to confront the State’s case with reasonably necessary experts,” the filing states. Her attorneys insist the request is not frivolous and argue that the potential cost should not outweigh Siders’ constitutional right to effective representation.
The filing follows a Nov. 9 hearing at which Judge Laina Fetherolf Rogers found Siders incompetent to stand trial but potentially capable of being restored through treatment. The defense argues that a formal dementia diagnosis could change that ruling.
The latest development adds another layer to a case that has already brought up troubling questions about the treatment of 16 children and the circumstances that allegedly allowed their suffering to continue. As Los Angeles previously reported, investigators discovered the children, ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years, during a June 30 raid on the family’s home.
Authorities in Ohio alleged that the children had endured severe neglect and unsanitary living conditions. Seven required hospitalization, including two who were flown to Columbus for medical treatment. The children’s parents, Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders, were arrested alongside Gary Jr.’s parents, Christina and Gary Siders Sr.
The case has since been complicated by the competency issues involving several defendants. Gary Siders Sr. was previously found incompetent and not restorable, resulting in the dismissal of his criminal case in October.
Elizabeth Siders, meanwhile, was found competent to stand trial during a Nov. 9 hearing, where her attorney also asked for a second NGRI evaluation. Christina’s attorneys have previously argued that she was financially supporting the household while caring for her ailing husband, rather than personally participating in the alleged physical abuse of the children.
The recent filing doesn’t conclude that the court has granted the supplemental money request for Christina.
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