‘A persistent crisis’: the 16 children removed from an Ohio family are part of a statewide issue

The case of the Siders family illustrates major shortcomings among Ohio’s political and administrative authorities

In June 2025, Jody Walker stood in front of Ohio lawmakers at a senate finance committee meeting in Columbus. As the head of South Central Ohio Job and Family Services, he was desperate for help.

“I have been a county director since 1999, yet I have not seen such a challenging time in the child welfare system as I do today,” he said, “specifically in terms of the needs of our children.”