The assassination attempt on Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev in Monaco was a targeted, meticulously planned attack orchestrated by someone with inside knowledge of his movements, security sources say.

The 58-year-old tycoon was left fighting for his life in hospital after a backpack full of nuts and bolts exploded at the entrance to his lavish apartment building in the principality at around 9pm on Monday evening.

A manhunt for the suspect, who was seen on CCTV fleeing the scene and remains at large, has since been launched in earnest by Monegasque police, with French assistance.

Intelligence insiders have now claimed the mystery attacker must have had intimate knowledge of the oligarch’s movement – and been determined to target him directly.

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer, told this newspaper: ‘It’s quite clear that this was a very well-planned assassination attempt.

‘Whoever’s planned this didn’t care who they got, they just wanted to make sure they got him.

‘The way the bomb was planted suggests there has almost certainly been some form of reconnaissance beforehand to work out a pattern of life as to when people would come in and out of the house.’

Local sources claimed the apartment block contains six flats which were, curiously, all empty at the time of the attack, which took place as the victims were ‘returning home peacefully’.

Windows to the oligarch’s lavish apartment showed the glass panes blasted out after a backpack full of nuts and bolts exploded at the entrance

Images of the man who targeted Yermolaiev at the iconic Sun Palace flats were captured on CCTV, and he is still at large

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It is thought the apartment was the kept residence of Anna Nasobina, 46, a Ukrainian-born but London-based businesswoman who is believed to be his long-time mistress.

The family home Mr Yermolaiev shares with his wife, Anna, 56, with whom he has four children, is a high-security villa in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Initial reports had suggested the female victim of the explosion was his wife – but this newspaper has since revealed he was in fact with his lover at the time of the attack.

She had both her legs blown off in the explosion and is now fighting for her life in an intensive care unit in hospital.

The pair were also with their 13-year-old son, who was also injured in the attack in the centre of Monaco and is now in hospital alongside his parents.

Investigators are trying to ascertain who was responsible for the blast, which is being treated as an attempted murder rather than an act of terrorism by Monaco prosecutors.

Ukrainian police have previously said the oligarch may have been blown up over his alleged links to a €100million call centre fraud scheme.

Police sources claimed the violent attack is directly linked to a network of fraudulent call centres in Dnipro, Ukraine, where Mr Yermolaiev and his lover, Ms Nasobina, are both from.

Yermolaiev walking alongside his Bentley in Monaco

Anna Nasobina, 46, and her son, 13, were reportedly with the oligarch and injured during the attack

The scheme has allegedly been used to carry out large-scale financial scams across Europe and the Yermolaiev family is claimed to have played a significant role in the network.

In fact, Mr Yermolaiev’s name is reportedly at the heart of a sprawling pan-European investigation into the clandestine call centres.

It has fuelled speculation the attack may have been the work of the criminal underworld.

Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported the attempted assassination stemmed from a failed agreement to divide territory and unpaid debts allegedly owed to organised crime bosses in Dnipro.

Mr Yermolaiev made his fortune in commerce after the collapse of the Soviet Union and is known primarily as a wine tycoon.

Forbes listed him as the 45th wealthiest Ukrainian in 2021, a year before Russia’s full-scale invasion, with a fortune estimated at $225million (£170million).

But like many oligarchs who became rich in this period, he has faced accusations of criminality, including money laundering, which he denies.

Responding to reports linking him to ‘boiler room’ fraud, Theo Koshlyakov, the businessman’s legal assistant in Monaco, said: ‘To date, no legal proceedings have been initiated against Mr Yermolaiev in any jurisdiction’.

Mr Yermolaiev has been living in Monaco since 2021, according to reports.

In 2019, he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and obtained a Cypriot passport.

In December 2023, he was subjected to personal sanctions by Kyiv for allegedly selling wine in Russian-occupied Crimea.

His assets were frozen and he was prohibited from doing business after Ukraine accused him of having paid millions of dollars in taxes to the Russian treasury.

He produces a ‘geographically protected Crimean wine for the Russians’, which is still sold in Europe and the US, a source has claimed.

Mr Yermolaiev has denied holding any assets in Crimea or co-operating with Russia in any capacity.

Local sources claimed the apartment block contains six flats which were, curiously, all empty at the time of the attack, which took place as the victims were ‘returning home peacefully’

Investigators are trying to ascertain who was responsible for the blast, which is being treated as an attempted murder rather than an act of terrorism by Monaco prosecutors

Ukrainian police have previously said the oligarch may have been blown up over his alleged links to a €100million call centre fraud scheme

The brazen attack on a notable public figure is likely to spark accusations of involvement by Moscow or Kyiv, whose deadly war of shadow assassinations has been steadily escalating since 2022.

There was a claim in local French news outlet Nice-Matin that Mr Yermolaiev had planned to deliver a speech to the European Parliament alleging corruption in Ukraine.

An aide to France’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said yesterday police were working ‘to find the perpetrator, who has fled’.

Initial reports had suggested the female victim of the explosion had been Mr Yermolaiev’s wife, Anna Yermolaiev, 56, the mother of his other four children.

But this newspaper has since revealed he was in fact with his lover, Ms Nasobina, at the time of the attack.

Mrs Yermolaiev told Ukrainian state media outlet Suspline: ‘We are currently in a state of severe stress and are actively cooperating with the investigation and law enforcement agencies.’

Anatoly Shariy, a Ukrainian political blogger, wrote: ‘During the explosion with Yermolaiev, it was not his wife.

‘It was this woman who lost her legs and is on the brink of life and death.’

He said: ‘Yermolaiev was with his mistress, Anna Nasobina. She has been with him for a long time. They have a common child of 13 years.’

Members of a bomb disposal team operate the day after an alleged attack involving an explosive device in the lobby of a residential building, in Monaco on June 30

The Suspline report stated: ‘Businessman Vadym Yermolaiev’s official wife, near whose [residential] building in Monaco an explosion occurred on the evening of 29 June, was not injured and was physically in another place.

‘From its own sources in law enforcement, Suspline learned that the other woman is in serious condition.’

Ms Nasobina had to have her legs amputated following the attack, according to Ukrainian media, while her son was thrown nearly 50ft by the force of explosion.

She has previously been described as the tycoon’s ‘common law wife’.

Originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, she is the daughter of the former first deputy state prosecutor of Dnipropetrovsk region.

Nasobina studied law at Dnipropetrovsk National University, followed by an International Institute of Management, before relocating to London.

She describes herself as ‘London-based’ and has been the director of UK company Wycombe Square Investments LLP since 2023.

She is a co-founder of Club Eclectique, a private members’ and literary-arts society registered in Oxford Street with a linked Monaco office. It was established in 2016.

The club’s events feature Russian entertainers with pro-Kremlin ties, and attendees include members of the Moscow diaspora in London.

One 2017 event she hosted, in honour of ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev, saw guests including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Yasmin Mills, designer Julien Macdonald, party queen Jo Wood, singer Camilla Kerslake and actress Camilla Rutherford attend.

Reports today in France suggest investigators are examining the possible involvement of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the suspected assassination bid.

The blast may have been a ‘warning’ rather than a deliberate attempt at murder.

One local said the proposed development would increase the pressure on schools and push them to a ‘breaking point’

Locals have slammed plans to build up to 75 new homes in a small Cambridgeshire village, saying services are “already at capacity”. Orchestra Ltd has submitted an outline planning application to Huntingdonshire District Council for the development of land west of Earith Road in Colne.

The application proposes up to 75 homes, with associated landscaping, drainage, and related infrastructure. Of the 75 proposed homes, 30 would be offered as affordable housing.

Orchestra Ltd says the homes would make a “meaningful and positive contribution toward addressing both overall housing need and the acute shortage of affordable homes within Huntingdonshire”.

A design statement adds: “The development provides high quality, sustainable homes in an appropriate location, helping to meet the needs of households unable to access the open market while also supporting the vitality and long term sustainability of Colne and surrounding communities.”

Additionally, Orchestra Ltd says the residential development would provide local facilities to meet local needs, including new open space and walking routes. The developer says it would also enhance the sustainability of the area in Colne.

The site measures 4.6 hectares and is on the ‘doorstep’ of several local amenities, including the Colne Community Hall, The Green Man pub, Saint Helen’s Church, and other services in neighbouring Bluntisham.

Developer Orchestra Ltd said: “We believe our proposal represents a logical extension to the village of Colne that is easily accessed via existing highway infrastructure, with direct access onto the B1050, the primary north south route connecting Colne with other local villages.”

Some locals do not agree and more than 50 objections to the plans have been submitted since the application went live at the beginning of May.

One person said that local services are “already at capacity” and that the village “simply cannot sustain a significant increase in population without corresponding investment in essential services and facilities”.

A similar concern was raised by another local who claimed “families are already struggling to get their children in the nearest school”. They said that there is a “lack of” doctors in the area and “very limited” public transport.

Additionally, another person objected to the proposals due to the “sheer lack of local facilities and amenities” in the village. The objection added: “There is no local shop, GP, dentist etc. in Colne. Any visit to such places would very likely be done via car and therefore, have a direct negative impact on the environment.”

The objector questioned: “Other developments in the area will increase the pressure on schools and this proposed development would push them to the breaking point. Schools are already oversubscribed and parents in the village and surrounding local villages are already extremely concerned that their child won’t get a place at their local school due to existing demand. How can schools cope with the further demand if this development is agreed?”

Meanwhile, other concerns were raised about the “inadequate” drainage in Colne, claiming extra housing would “undoubtedly cause flooding” in the area.

Jerry Hall will celebrate her 70th birthday on July 2 by hosting 200 friends, family, and an Elvis impersonator, in her Henley garden.

The icon though has insisted she doesn’t ‘really feel 70,’ and the party-loving, she certainly doesn’t look it. 

The Texan beauty is still commanding Vogue covers as a grandmother of three and is as unapologetic about ageing to the beat of her own drum as she always has been.

Her model daughter Lizzie once spilled her mother’s ethos revealing ‘she’s always told us that beauty comes from the inside,’ and its this mantra which sits at the heart of her secrets to looking as fabulous as she does at 70.

The fashion queen heralds the importance of a vivacious wardrobe, telling British Vogue she is appalled by the stereotype of an ‘older woman wearing all beige and ugly shoes’.

‘I think it’s fun to be able to dress in a way that looks good on your figure. I’m very lucky I didn’t lose my figure. So I think I should be able to wear anything.’ 

Her go-to shop is still Vivienne Westwood and she says she can spend ‘hours’ in the designer jewelbox that is Liberty’s in London.

Jerry relies on her daughters Lizzie, 42, and Georgia May, 34, to tell her if she’s wearing something either too old or too young for her age, explaining: ‘I try to still dress glamorously but not like my daughters.’ 

Whilst she loves a designer shopping spree, she surprisingly relies on a much more affordable, holistic approach to skin care. 

Admitting she rarely uses sunscreen, Jerry has stripped her skincare regime back to basics, using daily a face wash and face cream ‘and that is all I do.’

‘I use natural products and I don’t buy anything that says anti-ageing because I think that is insulting,’ she explained a few years ago, explaining how she buys a lot of her products from her local health shop. 

For years she has sweared by using raw coconut oil to keep her long blonde locks in good health, refusing to even think about cutting her mane off.

‘There’s always this thing – you get old and you have to cut your hair short and have this short blue-grey hair,’ she pointed out to Vogue. 

‘I think it’s a hideous look. I think you shouldn’t do it, no matter what the magazines say. We should stand up for our rights to be old and look good!’ 

Her holistic approach to beauty also applies to her health. She once said ‘I don’t go to the doctor. Never! I think medicine’s bad for you. I don’t want to find anything wrong with me.’ 

The Texan beauty is still commanding Vogue covers as a grandmother of three and has insisted she doesn’t ‘really feel 70’

Jerry relies on her daughters Lizzie, 42, and Georgia May, 34, to tell her if she’s wearing something either too old or too young for her age (pictured with Elizabeth) 

She has been a longtime advocate of Ayurvedic medicine – believed to be the world’s oldest holistic healing system. 

Based on the belief that wellbeing depends on a balance between mind, body and spirit, practitioners use herbal potions, special diets and massage in a bid to maintain health. 

In her sixties she would go and visit her Ayurvedic doctor twice a year ‘to balance my system’. 

‘They take my pulse, give me some herbs and tell me what I should eat and what I should avoid,’ she said. ‘They rub oil on me too, it’s so lovely. It’s like a detox. I’ve been doing it for 30 years, I think it’s good.’

Unlike her peers including Kris Jenner, who turned 70 last year and celebrated with a facelift, Jerry has rallied against the boom in cosmetic procedures and enhancements for older women in Hollywood, saying: ‘Look at the photos from the Oscars.’

‘Look at the women! They look scary. I guess some people have to do it for their career, but I would just rather retire.’ 

She has insisted she’d never get Botox or fillers, musing: ‘What’s wrong with wrinkles? I have loads of wrinkles, but I don’t mind. I’m 70, I should have wrinkles. I don’t want to look weird, I don’t want to scare my grandchildren.’

Her go-to shop is still Vivienne Westwood and she says she can spend ‘hours’ in the designer jewelbox that is Liberty’s in London (pictured with the late Westwood in 2001) 

Jerry still has her vices, drinking rosé daily and smoking 10 cigarettes a day and she loves hosting parties and long summer lunches with her friends (pictured in 1987)

Jerry does have her vices though, drinking rosé daily and smoking 10 cigarettes a day.

A natural hostess, there’s nothing she likes more than inviting her girlfriends to stay with her for long, languid weeks in the summer where they will indulge in meals cooked by a private Italian chef, and each meal is always served with wine.

‘I like to drink wine at lunch and wine at dinner; if I have company I’ll always have wine,’ she says.   

She has adapted her diet with age, explaining how as a 16-year-old model she would visit Parisian bakeries every morning for a fresh croissant, and was ‘crazy about bread’ and chocolate mousse. 

Times have changed with Jerry long ago shunning desserts and refined sugar, which she says ‘is very bad for you.’ 

Her beloved Henley garden, where she spends long summers lounging with her girlfriends, also provides her with all the exercise she needs as she relishes daily gardening

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Not one for fads and never a ready meal, she has always stuck to three meals a day which are full of lots of organic vegetables and fruit.

Eggs or oatmeal for lunch are followed by soup or salad for lunch and ‘lots of stews, fish, chicken, meat and veg’ for dinner. 

Her childhood growing up in Texas as one of five children has shaped her diet, as she once explained how on the family’s ‘very limited’ budget ‘we’d end up eating the same thing until it was gone – some weeks it was carrots.’

Her beloved Henley garden, where she spends those long summers lounging with her girlfriends, also provides her with all the exercise she needs.

Famously insisting she has never set foot in a gym, Jerry maintains her figure through gardening, walking and a spot of yoga. 

There would have to be legislative change for such a venue to open

There have been renewed calls for a drug consumption room in Belfast as a local councillor says the situation in the city centre is “continuing to deteriorate.”

Overdose prevention facilities – often referred to as drug consumption rooms – are supervised facilities where individuals can safely consume drugs under supervision of trained staff who can intervene to prevent overdose.

Sharing a video from the streets of Belfast this week, showing discarded drug paraphernalia littered in the city centre, Independent councillor Paul McCusker said it shows why such a venue is needed.

He said: “If this does not highlight that we urgently need a drug comsumption room for Belfast I don’t know what will, this video was recorded today in the City Centre.

“Six years ago I brought a motion to Belfast City Council that was suported by all parties to ask for a dedicated drug task force and to support a drug consumption room, what has happened since then? Nothing!

“Intrevenous drug use has significantly increased as well as the risks of bloodborne viruses and the risk to the user and the public. Users often having to find isolated areas putting them at further risk of overdose and death.

“We know the situation is continuing to deteriorate, the lack of policital direction and agencies playing the situation down is contributing to the perfect storm that I have raised for years. Belfast has a serious drug problem and the ignorance politically along with statutory agencies is putting lives at risk every day. Wake Up & listen!”

No drug consumption rooms currently exist in Northern Ireland, and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 has the effect of prohibiting such a facility from operating as those operating the premises would be at risk of prosecution. In order for an overdose prevention facility to be operated lawfully, there would have to be legislative change.

Northern Ireland has the second highest rate of drugs-related deaths in the UK, that is 11.5 per 100,000 people, which is just behind Scotland.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv, forcing residents to shelter in subway stations as powerful explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital, sparking fires across multiple districts and causing an apartment building to collapse.

Several massive explosions rocked Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday morning, igniting fires that blazed across the Ukrainian capital as Russia launched a devastating assault on the city using ballistic missiles and drones.

Kyiv residents flooded into underground stations clutching sleeping bags and their pets as air-raid sirens wailed throughout the city, seeking refuge from the ferocious blasts. Warnings had previously been issued that a large-scale offensive was imminent.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged citizens to heed the air-raid warnings and remain “especially careful,” according to The New York Times. He announced on Wednesday evening that intelligence suggested Russia was preparing another “massive strike.”

The air-raid sirens had begun sounding several hours earlier, according to reports, as residents braced themselves for a lengthy and terrifying night.

Attack drones formed the opening wave of the assault. The relentless, droning sounds of air defences engaging were heard shortly after their arrival, followed by an enormous explosion at around 11 pm.

Further blasts followed in quick succession.

A substantial blaze was spotted burning in the city centre shortly afterwards, with a smaller fire visible just beyond it.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters as the night progressed, with ballistic missiles entering Ukrainian airspace shortly after the drones.

A further series of powerful explosions shook Kyiv just before 2 a. m.

on Thursday, triggering car alarms throughout the city. Emergency services rushed to tackle the collapse of a nine-storey apartment block, where individuals were trapped, according to Klitschko.

He stated that firefighters also battled to put out fires in at least two parts of the capital, including one blaze which broke out on a hotel rooftop. Another consumed a residential property.

The number of casualties remains unclear, though Klitschko confirmed five medical staff sustained injuries.

Numerous residents in Kyiv had been preparing for a major attack similar to the one which took place on Wednesday night into Thursday.

Ukraine has been putting pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin through launching long-range drone strikes on Moscow, disrupting Russian fuel supplies and mounting significant attacks against Crimea, which Russia unlawfully annexed in 2014.

Kyiv stated the aim is to bring the war to Russia and compel Putin to consent to ending the conflict. Yet Putin has shown defiance and remained steadfast, even as his capacity to shield Russian society from the war’s impact has begun to crumble – his citizens are enduring the consequences of the full-scale war which commenced in February 2022.

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“Putin wants to keep fighting,” Zelensky declared on Wednesday in Ireland before hastening home. “That is why he must face conditions that make it impossible for him to keep this war going.”

Ukraine is seeking membership of the European Union, and while the process could span several years, Zelensky touched down in Ireland on Wednesday – which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

“Ukraine proves every day that it deserves to be an equal partner of our common European home. And we hope that during Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council, we will be able to achieve tangible progress on the path to membership and open all negotiations clusters,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine has emerged as a supplier of military technology coveted by numerous nations globally, particularly in the drone sector. Many European nations worry that Moscow’s territorial aspirations might extend beyond Ukraine, prompting leaders to portray Kyiv as a barrier against Russian expansion.

Ukraine is “becoming a security provider for the whole of Europe,” Swedish Minister of Defence Paul Jonsson said in Kyiv, where he held discussions with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov.

Consequently, it has grown somewhat more embedded within the European defence community, including NATO – though the process has been gradual.

Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s capital with missiles and drones overnight into Thursday with the intense strikes causing loud explosions and shaking Kyiv for hours.

Residential buildings were damaged in the attacks that killed. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 11 people were injured.

The attack with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones affected all of the city’s 10 districts, on both sides of the Dnipro River. Many residents took shelter at metro stations after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and other authorities issued the first warnings of the attack.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, even as Ukraine’s own long-range drone campaign against Russian military sites and energy facilities has caused fuel shortages and disrupted supply lines inside Russia.

Mr Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters, describing an ongoing “furious enemy attack” on the capital.

He said five people were injured in the Shevchenkivskyi district and one of the injured, a paramedic, was in extremely critical condition.

In the Desnianskyi district, people were trapped inside a damaged nine-story residential building and rescuers headed to the scene, Klitschko said. In the Holosiivskyi district, a fire broke out on the roof of a multistory building.

In the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts, fire broke out in homes and debris trapped people in buildings.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said the attack partially destroyed a residential building in the Desnianskyi district, sparked fires near residential buildings at two locations in the Pecherskyi district, and ignited a fire near an administrative building in the Solomianskyi district.

He said authorities were also recording damage in the Obolonskyi and Podilskyi districts.

Former NFL star Chris Johnson is bringing back the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness of ALS as he fights the fatal nervous system disease.

The Ice Bucket Challenge gained popularity in the summer of 2014 as a way to raise ALS awareness. People took a video or photo as they got a bucket of ice water dumped on them, and they’d challenge friends or relatives to do the same.

According to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, the drive helped raise an estimated $135 million in the United States and $220 million worldwide in the fight against ALS.

Johnson attempted to boost the cause once more in an Instagram post Wednesday, two days after announcing on “Good Morning America” that he’s dealing with ALS.

Johnson said he was inspired after watching former Utah men’s basketball player Hunter Mecum post an Instagram video in which he dumped ice water on his head to honor the 40-year-old former running back.

“The support you’ve shown me over the last few days has meant more than I can put into words,” Johnson said in his post. “Seeing this video reminded me of something powerful. Years ago, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge united millions of people around one cause and helped change the fighting against this disease. Today, I’m asking you to help me do it again.”

Johnson challenged former All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch and former Tennessee Titans teammates LenDale White and Adam “Pacman” Jones to participate. Johnson later added Instagram Story posts showing White and others getting doused with water.

In his “Good Morning America” interview, Johnson said he was diagnosed with ALS last year.

The 2008 first-round draft pick from East Carolina rushed for 9,651 yards during a 10-year career that included stints with the Titans (2008-13), New York Jets (2014) and Arizona Cardinals (2015-17). He rushed for 2,006 yards and was The Associated Press offensive player of the year in 2009.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Sixteen children who ‘looked like feral animals’ were rescued from a tiny dilapidated house of horrors in Ohio, as four adults face charges, according to police. 

The gruesome discovery was made by the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday morning after executing a search warrant as part of an ongoing investigation. 

Law enforcement encountered a horrific scene inside that home that was simply described as ‘pure evil,’ according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. 

‘Conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in,’ Wilson said. 

Some of the children found ‘couldn’t even speak,’ he revealed.

‘It was terrible. They looked like almost feral animals. It was terrible,’ he said. 

Two parents and grandparents were each charged with 17 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony. 

The suspects were identified as Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders. 

The home was in the tiny town of Hamden, which has a population of less than 1,000 people and is about 60 miles southeast of Columbus. 

The suspects were identified as Gary Siders Jr, Gary Siders Sr, Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders

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Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described the home as being littered with human feces and a small room where investigators believe the children were kept for nearly four years

Felony charges were filed by the DA’s office because the parents and grandparents were responsible for causing ‘serious physical harm,’ according to prosecuting attorney William Archer. 

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain echoed a similar sentiment at a news conference, describing the home as being littered with human feces and a small room where investigators believe the children were kept for nearly four years.

‘Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children,’ Cain added.

The children ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years and included both boys and girls, officials said. 

Several were in serious condition when found, and two had to be flown to level one trauma centers because of their injuries.

When asked about their emotional state at a press conference, Wilson said that investigators’ primary concern upon arrival was getting the children to a hospital due to the extent of their medical conditions. 

Officials did not confirm how all the children were related, but said it was not a human trafficking situation. 

Authorities added that the four arrested were not locals and appeared to have been traveling. 

‘Our children deserve better from their parents, guardians, and custodians. No child should endure these kinds of conditions,’ Archer, the prosecuting attorney, said. 

‘My office will do everything in our power to make sure these children get the love and care they deserve. My office will prosecute these persons to the fullest extent of the law.’

Several were in serious condition when found, and two had to be flown to level one trauma centers because of their injuries

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Felony charges were filed by the DA’s office because the parents and grandparents were responsible for causing ‘serious physical harm’

Officials did not confirm how all the children were related, but said it was not a human trafficking situation

The four were arraigned in the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday morning and remain in jail on a $300,000 bond

The Siders have lived in multiple Ohio counties since 2008 and have avoided establishing medical or government records

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Terri Siders, a relative of the family, told NBC News that she had not heard from the family in at least eight years. 

‘I knew little Gary had kids, yeah. I don’t remember meeting any of the kids, though,’ she said.

‘I knew they had a lot of kids through family talking years ago, but there’s no way I thought they had that many kids.’ 

The four were arraigned in the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday morning and remain in jail on a $300,000 bond. 

Investigators said in an update that they now believe the Siders have lived in multiple Ohio counties since 2008 and have avoided establishing medical or government records.