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Turpin case

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An alleged case of child abuse and captivity was discovered on January 14, 2018, in Perris, California, United States. David and Louise Turpin are accused of unlawfully imprisoning their thirteen children in their home. Police found the children shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks in a dark foul-smelling room.[1] The couple allegedly shackled, beat and strangled the children, allowing them to eat once per day and shower just once per year. This went on for decades and some of the children are now adults (the oldest is 29 years old). The children lack basic knowledge of the world, for example what a police officer was or what medicine was.

The couple were arrested on January 14, 2018 after one of the children escaped through a window and used a cell phone to call 9-1-1. The couple appeared in court on January 18, 2018 where they pled not guilty. They are due back in court on February 23, 2018.

Suspects

Mugshots of David Allen Turpin and Louise Anna Turpin.

The suspects are David Allen Turpin and Louise Anna Turpin (aged 57 and 49 respectively at the time of arrest).[2] David Turpin is a computer engineer who graduated from Virginia Tech.[3] In 1979, he graduated from Princeton High School in West Virginia. The school's 1979 yearbook listed him as the treasurer of the Bible Club, co-captain of the Chess Club, and a member of the Science Club and Acapella Choir.[4] Louise Turpin's occupation was listed in court documents as a homemaker.[5] The couple are adherents of the Quiverfull movement [6] and Pentecostalism. [3] According to David Turpin's parents, "god called upon" them to have a large number of children. The children's homeschooling involved memorizing the Bible, and a few tried to memorize it in its entirety.[7] David Turpin made about $140,000 per year at Northrop Grumman and $87,000 in 401(k) plans from Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.[5]

The couple rented a postal box in Burleson, Texas, from 1986 to 2003. Burleson police records showed that Louise Turpin reported a suspected intoxicated driver to authorities in 2008. They owned property or had lived in Rio Vista and Fort Worth, and left the area in 2010.[8] They declared bankruptcy in 2011, owing debt between $100,000 and $500,000.[5]

Escape and rescue

On January 14, 2018, the 17 year old daughter of David and Louise Turpin escaped the home from a window and alerted police by calling 9-1-1 with a deactivated mobile phone. Officials said that she was so emaciated that she looked as if she was 10 years old.[9] Another sibling had escaped with her, but returned home out of fear.[10] Deputies of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the local police service, then arrived at the house. They found the other twelve siblings, one of whom (aged 22) was shackled to a bed with chains. However, police suspect that an additional two had also been shackled prior to officers' entry to the residence [11] The deputies described the siblings as having a malnourished and dirty appearance and looking to be younger than their ages. They had initially assumed that all in the group were minors, but they later determined that their ages ranged from 2 to 29, with 7 being adults (18 or older).[12]

The Sheriff's Department said that Louise Turpin was "perplexed" when deputies entered the residence.[13] The Sheriff's Department said, "The parents were unable to immediately provide a logical reason why their children were restrained in [the manner that they were]."[14] The six minors, ranging from ages 2 to 17, were transported to Riverside County Regional Medical Center from the sheriff's department, where they were admitted to the pediatrics unit for treatment.[5] Corona Regional Medical Center said that the facility was treating the seven adult children, describing them as small and clearly malnourished, but stable, relieved and very friendly.[15]

On January 14, 2018, David and Louise Turpin were arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and torture and held at a Riverside County jail on $9 million bail.[16] Some sources reported that bail had been set as high as $12 million each.[17][18] Police searched the Turpins' property on January 17, taking away black plastic bags of evidence.[19]

The couple was charged on January 18 with twelve counts of torture, twelve counts of false imprisonment, seven counts of abuse on a dependent adult, and six counts of child abuse. David Turpin received an additional charge of a lewd act on a child under 14 years old. If convicted on all counts, the two could be sent to prison for 94 years to life imprisonment.[2] Upon announcing the charges against the Turpins, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said, "The abuse and severe neglect intensified over time and intensified as they moved to California."[20] The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges.[21]

Extended family

On January 17, 2018, Louise Turpin's sister said that she begged for decades to see her nieces and nephews, even through Skype, but the couple wouldn't let her. Another sister of Louise Turpin said she was concerned about the children's weights. Louise Turpin's aunt said, "With the pictures they put on Facebook, you thought they were one big happy family."[22]

David Turpin's parents said they were "surprised and shocked" at the allegations against their son and daughter-in-law.[3]

The couple's previous bankruptcy lawyer said that she met with the couple about four or five times in 2011 and described them as "just very normal."[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Jamie Micklethwaite (January 16, 2018). "Mum who 'tortured 13 children' LAUGHED as police discovered chained up kids". Daily Star. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Moots, Sumiko; Arkin, Daniel; Siemaszko, Corky (January 16, 2018). "California torture house: 13 siblings allowed to eat once a day, shower twice a year". NBC News. Perris. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Powell, Amy (January 16, 2018). "Grandparents say 'God called' on Perris couple to have so many children". KABC. Perris. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  4. ^ Jordan, Greg (January 18, 2018). "Princeton residents recall Turpin". The Register-Herald. Princeton: Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e Schmidt, Samantha; Bever, Lindsey (January 16, 2018). "How a malnourished teen escaped a house full of chains and freed her 12 siblings". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  6. ^ Carly Sitzer. "Quiverfull: More Children For God's Army". In Touch Weekly. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  7. ^ Schmidt, Samantha; Bever, Lindsey (January 16, 2018). "How a malnourished teen escaped a house full of chains and freed her 12 siblings". Washington Post.
  8. ^ Ramirez Jr., Domingo (January 16, 2018). "California couple accused of torturing their children had North Texas ties". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  9. ^ "Turpin case: Shackled California siblings 'victims of torture'". BBC News. January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  10. ^ News, A. B. C. (January 18, 2018). "Horrific new details emerge in case of 13 captive siblings". ABC News. Retrieved January 19, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ Park, Madison; Hamasaki, Sonya; Becker, Stephanie; Simon, Darran (January 18, 2018). "Found shackled and emaciated, children of torture suspects are freed". CNN. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  12. ^ Esquivel, Paloma; Rubin, Joel; Lau, Maya (January 16, 2018). "Children found shackled and malnourished in Southern California home; parents arrested". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  13. ^ Pamer, Melissa; Friel, Courtney (January 18, 2018). "Louise Turpin Was 'Perplexed' When Deputies Arrived at Perris Home Where Malnourished Children Were Shackled: Sheriff's Capt". KTLA. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  14. ^ Abedi, Maham (January 16, 2018). "Turpin family: What we know about the California couple who allegedly held 13 children captive". Global News. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  15. ^ Powell, Tom (January 17, 2018). "Mother of 13 Turpin children found imprisoned in California home was 'perplexed to see police arrive'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  16. ^ Cullen, Terence (January 18, 2018). "Tortured California siblings reportedly showered twice a year, ate once a day". New York Daily News. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  17. ^ Melissa Pamer, Sara Welch, Kimberly Cheng (January 18, 2018). "Chained, Starved, Not Allowed to Bathe, Turpin Children 'Lack a Basic Knowledge of Life,' DA Says". KTLA. Retrieved January 19, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Amy Taxin and Brian Melley, The Associated Press (January 18, 2018). "$12M bail for 'depraved' parents charged with torturing children". The York Dispatch. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  19. ^ Alexander, Harriet (January 18, 2018). "David and Louise Turpin to appear in court: What we know so far". The Telegraph. Perris. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  20. ^ White, Jeremy B. (January 18, 2018). "Turpin family latest: Parents charged with torture and false imprisonment following discovery of 13 siblings". The Independent. Riverside. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  21. ^ "The Latest: Couple plead not guilty to torture of children". The Washington Post. Riverside. Associated Press. January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  22. ^ Yan, Holly (January 18, 2018). "Aunts of 13 captive children reveal years of secrecy and concerns". CNN. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
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