The attorney for a Vinton County woman accused of endangering her grandchildren says his client may have dementia and is asking the court to pay for a specialist to evaluate her.
Christina Siders is one of four family members facing multiple felony charges of child endangerment after 16 children were found living in what law enforcement has described as deplorable conditions.
All four defendants either have been or are being evaluated to determine whether they are competent to stand trial.
Christina’s husband, Gary Siders, has already been found incompetent. The doctor who evaluated Christina issued his report this week, in which he says she has several risk factors for dementia.
According to Christina’s attorney, the doctor said a neuropsychological evaluation is required to determine whether her cognitive impairment is a product of dementia. The attorney is requesting $7,000 to have an evaluation completed before Christina’s competency hearing is scheduled.
Meanwhile, the county prosecutor has not disclosed yet what his plans are for Gary Siders. The doctor who evaluated him determined not only that he is incompetent but also that he could not be restored to competency through treatment. The prosecutor could drop the case against him or move to have him placed in a facility.
It also has not been disclosed yet whether the competency evaluations have been completed for the children’s parents, Elizabeth Siders and Gary Siders Jr. Competency hearings for them will be scheduled after the doctors file their reports.