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California parents who held 13 children captive charged with torture and abuse California parents who held 13 children captive charged with torture and abuse
(about 1 hour later)
David and Louise Anna Turpin accused of shackling their children to beds, beating and starving them, in ‘house of horror’David and Louise Anna Turpin accused of shackling their children to beds, beating and starving them, in ‘house of horror’
Rory Carroll in Los AngelesRory Carroll in Los Angeles
Thu 18 Jan 2018 20.11 GMT Thu 18 Jan 2018 23.47 GMT
Last modified on Thu 18 Jan 2018 22.38 GMT First published on Thu 18 Jan 2018 20.11 GMT
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The California couple facing abuse and torture charges for shackling some of their 13 children to beds also beat, strangled and starved them in acts of “human depravity”, authorities said on Thursday.The California couple facing abuse and torture charges for shackling some of their 13 children to beds also beat, strangled and starved them in acts of “human depravity”, authorities said on Thursday.
David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise Turpin, 49, allegedly ate apple and pumpkin pie and other food in front of the children but denied them proper nutrition and medical care, stunting their growth and cognitive development in one of the US’s most shocking cases of child abuse.David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise Turpin, 49, allegedly ate apple and pumpkin pie and other food in front of the children but denied them proper nutrition and medical care, stunting their growth and cognitive development in one of the US’s most shocking cases of child abuse.
“The abuse was horrific ... it involved beatings, strangulation,” Riverside County district attorney Michael Hestrin told a press conference four days after police freed the Turpin children, aged two to 29, from what has been called a “house of horror” in Perris, 70 miles south of Los Angeles.“The abuse was horrific ... it involved beatings, strangulation,” Riverside County district attorney Michael Hestrin told a press conference four days after police freed the Turpin children, aged two to 29, from what has been called a “house of horror” in Perris, 70 miles south of Los Angeles.
The children were chained to furniture for weeks or even months at a time as punishment, Hestrin said. “As a prosecutor, there are some cases that haunt you. Some deal with human depravity, and that’s what we’re dealing with here.”
The couple were due to be formally charged later on Thursday with multiple felony counts of torture, child abuse, abuse of dependent adults false imprisonment. The couple pleaded not guilty to multiple felony counts of torture, child abuse, abuse of dependent adults and false imprisonment in a brief court appearance on Thursday. David Turpin was charged with a lewd act against one of his daughters. Each wore a dark suit, not prison garb.
David Turpin was also due to be charged with a lewd act against one of his daughters. The parents face 94 years to life in prison if convicted. The prosecutor revealed that the 17-year-old daughter who fled the house through a window and raised the alarm had planned the escape for two years and left with a sister. However the sister had turned back. “She was frightened,” said Hestrin.
The prosector revealed that the 17-year-old daughter who fled the house and raised the alarm had planned the escape for two years and left with a sister. However the sister had turned back. “She was frightened,” said Hestrin. The children were allowed to shower just once year and punished “for playing with water” if they washed their hands above the wrist, he said. They were up at night and slept during the day. They had not seen a doctor in four years and never saw a dentist.
The children were allowed to shower just once a year and were punished “for playing with water” if they washed their hands above the wrist, he said. The 13 were supposedly home-schooled but some of the older ones remained unaware of concepts such as pills, medicine and police officers. The parents did however encourage the children to keep journals – hundreds of which will provide evidence in court, said Hestrin. “I think those journals are going to be strong evidence of what occurred in that home.”
The 13 were supposedly home schooled but some of the older ones remained unaware of concepts such as pills, medicine and police officers. The parents did however encourage the children to keep journals – hundreds of them which will provide evidence for prosecutors and therapists.
David Turpin earned $140,000 as an engineer at the global security company Northrop Grumman but the couple filed for bankruptcy in 2011.David Turpin earned $140,000 as an engineer at the global security company Northrop Grumman but the couple filed for bankruptcy in 2011.
The abuse started while the family lived in Texas and intensified after it moved to California in 2010, said Hestrin.The abuse started while the family lived in Texas and intensified after it moved to California in 2010, said Hestrin.
Initially the parents punished infractions by tying the children with rope, then used chains and padlocks, sometimes leaving the children to urinate in their beds. Initially the parents punished infractions by tying the children with rope, then used chains and padlocks, sometimes leaving the children to urinate in their beds. There were new toys in the house but they were unopened.
“They were never allowed to have toys,” said Hestrin. “They lack a basic knowledge.”
CaliforniaCalifornia
US crimeUS crime
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