The Ohio “House of Horrors” case has taken another major turn after newly public court records revealed that the investigation which ultimately led authorities to the Hamden home did not begin with the living conditions of the 16 children at all.

According to recently released indictments and court filings, authorities were already investigating separate allegations involving a teenager who had lived with Elizabeth Siders and Gary Siders Jr. in 2022. That earlier investigation eventually helped lead law enforcement to execute the June 30 search warrant at the family’s home, where officials say 16 children were discovered living in severely unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

The new records show that both Elizabeth and Gary Jr. now face two counts of sexual battery and two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, separate from the child-endangerment charges connected to their children. Elizabeth pleaded not guilty during her September 16 court appearance. Gary Jr. has also denied the allegations against him.

The alleged victim was between 13 and 16 years old and reportedly stayed with the couple for several months in 2022. Prosecutors say the teenager was not one of their biological children. These allegations remain unproven and will have to be tested in court.

What makes the latest development especially significant is the timeline. The June search uncovered children authorities said had been largely isolated from schools and normal community contact. Several required medical attention, and prosecutors later brought numerous child-endangerment counts against four members of the Siders family.

The legal picture is becoming even more complicated. Gary Siders Sr. was recently found incompetent to stand trial, with an evaluation indicating his cognitive decline is unlikely to be reversed. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s attorney has requested a competency evaluation for her as well, arguing that questions about her ability to understand the proceedings should be resolved before the case advances.