Hamden businesses show support after rescue of 16 children

At Hammond Hardware Store in Hamden, Melissa Hammond tied maroon ribbon onto a gift basket as Vinton County kept turning toward the 16 children rescued from a home on Ohmer Street. The cellophane-wrapped basket held bagged coffee beans, candies, locally sourced honey and a mug reading, “We Stand Together. We Are Hamden, Ohio.”

The June 30 rescue pulled children ranging from about 18 months to 18 years old from conditions authorities described as deplorable in the village of Hamden, in Clinton Township. Several outlets reported that at least some of the children were in serious medical condition, and Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson and Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said the investigation could take time. Wilson said, “I can still smell it.”

Neighbors said they were shocked and did not know children were living at the house. That gap, together with later accounts that the children may have shared one room, has left hard questions about whether child welfare, school or law-enforcement systems had any earlier warning. Earlier coverage placed the home in the 100 block of Ohmer Street, while other reports gave the address as 182 Ohmer Street.

For the children now, the immediate work falls to the county child-protection system. South Central Ohio Job and Family Services says its Protective Services department investigates abuse and neglect reports in Hocking, Ross and Vinton counties and works with law enforcement, medical and mental-health providers and community agencies to protect children. Vinton County Job and Family Services is at 30975 Industrial Park Dr. in McArthur, and director Jody Walker can be reached at 740-596-2584. The county office lists an after-hours emergency line at 855-726-5237.

Residents who suspect abuse or neglect can call 855-O-H-CHILD, 855-642-4453, which connects callers to a county child-welfare or law-enforcement office. Reports can be anonymous, and if a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

The response has spread beyond the hardware store. On July 7, a local agency was coordinating donations for the rescued children, while Hamden residents continued to show support in storefronts and other small gestures that kept the focus on recovery. The Columbus Dispatch also sued on July 8 for access to sealed search-warrant records, underscoring that public scrutiny of the case remained active as the children’s care moved into the hands of county workers and the health providers working with them.