Sixteen Neglected Children Rescued From Ohio Home, Locked in 11-Foot Room for Years

Sixteen neglected children have been rescued from a home in rural Ohio, where authorities say they were locked inside a 3.5 by 3.5 meter room for possibly four years. The children ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years old.

Two parents and two grandparents have been arrested and charged with child abuse. All the children appear to be related to each other. None of them were registered anywhere, and none attended school. Some children could barely speak or could not speak at all, shocked officers reported when they entered the room.

"The freed children seemed almost like wild animals," said Attorney General Andy Wilson at a press conference. "It was a revolting scene." He did not disclose exactly how the children were confined in the home but stated that no cages were found on the premises.

Neighbors in the small town of Hamden told American media they had no idea children lived in the house. Seven of the sixteen children were taken directly to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

Police entered the home as part of an investigation unrelated to the children. The four adults taken into custody are being held pending further legal proceedings.

Authorities described the scene as one of extreme neglect and isolation, with children showing severe developmental delays from years of confinement. The case has drawn comparisons to other documented instances of long-term child isolation in the United States.