US authorities arrested 4 adults on criminal charges related to endangering children, after finding, Tuesday, 16 children in urgent need of medical treatment inside a home in a rural area in southern Ohio.

The Ohio Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with the local sheriff's office, executed a search warrant on a home in the small village of Hamden, where investigators found the children in conditions described by authorities as 'deplorable'.

Ohio Attorney General Nandi Wilson said during a press conference: 'The conditions were unimaginable for adults to live in, let alone children.'

Law enforcement arrested Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders, and Elizabeth Siders. They have not yet appeared in court, and no attorneys have been appointed for them by the state.

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Vinton County Prosecutor William Rtcher said the defendants face a charge of child endangerment, a second-degree felony because it involves 'causing serious physical harm'.

Authorities did not confirm whether the children are related to the suspects, but clarified that the case is not related to human trafficking, noting that the adults are not local residents and appeared to be moving from place to place.

The home is located in Hamden, a village of fewer than 1,000 residents, about 97 kilometers southeast of Columbus.

Authorities said the children range in age from 1.5 to 18 years old, including both males and females.

They added that several were in critical condition when found, and two were airlifted to specialized level-1 trauma centers for severe injuries.