In January 2018, a 17-year-old girl used an old mobile phone she found in the house to call 911 and revealed a truth that not only shocked the United States but the entire world: she and her 12 siblings were being held captive and tortured by their own parents for years. Even the neighbors around had no clue about the existence of these children.
The Special Call
Around 6 AM on January 14, 2018, a 911 operator received a distress call. On the other end was the hurried voice of a girl pleading for help. “They abuse us. They chain us up…” she said, indicating that “they” were her biological parents.
When taken to the police station, authorities initially thought the girl was around 10 years old due to her severe malnutrition. They were shocked to learn she was actually 17. She appeared like a child due to extreme malnourishment. Here, she revealed to the police that her siblings had been held captive in horrendous conditions for years, chained with iron shackles and locked inside the house.
The girl explained that after years of captivity, her siblings had devised a plan to escape. What had been a plan brewing for over two years was now becoming a reality. Seizing an opportunity when their parents weren’t watching closely, the girl sneaked out by climbing through a window, initially taking one sibling with her.
The escape almost failed when the sibling, in a last-minute panic, returned to the house out of fear. Left alone, facing all odds, the girl pushed through, running as fast as she could. Upon reaching safety, she used the old mobile phone found in the house to call the local police to rescue her siblings.
“I was really scared that if I got caught, my parents would surely kill me,” the girl told the police in a state of shock and fear.
Horrendous Scene
Upon receiving the report from their daughter, the police raided the house in Perris, California. What they encountered was a scene of unimaginable horror. Alongside the 17-year-old girl, 12 other “children” were being held in deplorable conditions, deprived of light, living in filth and stench. Many were chained to beds in a room, with urine and feces covering the floor. All were severely malnourished and physically weak.
Police were further horrified to discover that although labeled as “12 children,” 7 of the victims were actually adults who had been forced to appear as children. The eldest daughter was even 29 years old but showed no signs of development, weighing only about 37 kilograms. The youngest victim was just 2 years old. They all cried out of hunger and thirst when the police arrived.
All victims were immediately taken to hospitals for care by social workers. “People are truly heartbroken; they can’t believe this is real,” a medical staff member said.
Immediately, the parents of the 13 victims, David Allen Turpin (57 years old) and Louise Anna Turpin (49 years old), were arrested. During the investigation and interrogation, many shocking details of the case were revealed, leaving the public utterly horrified.
Horrendous Crimes
David Allen Turpin (57 years old) and Louise Anna Turpin (49 years old) moved to California (USA) with their children in 2014 and that’s when the childrens began to be abused, locked up, and tortured more.
The victims revealed they had been abused by their parents for many years. Initially, they were only tied up with ropes, but after one of the children managed to free themselves, David and Louise resorted to chains and locks. Even when going to the bathroom, the victims were not released from their chains.
Subsequent police investigations revealed shocking details of the case. The children were subjected to appalling treatment, and forced to live in cramped, filthy sleeping quarters. All the children were given only one meal a day with meager portions and were never allowed to bathe more than once a year. If they let water flow beyond their wrists while washing their hands, they were punished by being chained to the bed. Moreover, the victims were frequently beaten and even choked by their parents.
The Turpins also frequently tormented their children by laying out plenty of food on the table and letting the children watch it hungrily but forbidding them from touching it. It was also common for the couple to dine out or bring food home without ever including their 13 children.
The victims always had to obey every command of their parents out of fear. The 17-year-old daughter, who called the police for help, revealed that her parents not only beat them but also forced her and her siblings to urinate in their beds.
All the victims, aged 2 to 29, had not seen a doctor for four years and had never been to a dentist even once in their lives. The 17-year-old daughter didn’t understand the concept of taking medicine to cure illnesses and didn’t know what pills looked like.
Furthermore, the Turpins enforced an unusual schedule to completely isolate their children from society. The entire Turpin family would sleep at 4-5 AM, sleep all day, and stay awake all night.
Especially, the eldest daughter, 29 years old, suffered the most. According to prosecutors, the Turpins gave her very little food during strict meal times to halt her physical development.
Secrets Behind Closed Doors
Neighbors claimed they had no idea what was happening behind the Turpins’ doors. Many didn’t even know the couple had 13 children, with 7 of them being adults, and the oldest being 29.
A neighbor living adjacent to the Turpins’ home said she occasionally saw the children scavenging for food in trash cans. She likened the Turpin household to a vampire family in a story because the children always looked pale and only came out at night. Although the Turpin family lived in isolation, she didn’t notice anything alarming enough to warrant calling the police.
Another neighbor living behind the Turpins noticed the house lit up all day and activity inside the house was more vibrant at night. However, he said he never suspected there were 13 children inside.
Meanwhile, relatives of the Turpin family were “shocked and surprised” to learn of the couple’s arrest for torture and endangerment of their children. David Turpin’s parents said they hadn’t seen their son’s family in 5 years.
Louise’s sister, Elizabeth Jane Flores, also mentioned that she had never been allowed to visit her sister’s family in California, although they kept in touch via phone. The Turpins never invited her to their home nor allowed her to speak to her nieces and nephews.
A Promising Past
Born into a fairly affluent family, David Turpin had a bright childhood and a promising career ahead. Teachers remarked him as a diligent student, while friends called him a “bookworm.”
After graduating from high school, David pursued a degree in computer engineering at Virginia Tech and later held high positions at major defense and aerospace companies in Texas.
David Turpin and Louise Turpin were childhood sweethearts while still in school, despite an 8-year age gap. When Louise was 16 and in 10th grade, David came to her school and, with her consent, took Louise to Texas to escape her family. They were caught and returned home to marry in 1984. They then moved back to Texas to start their new life together.
The couple enjoyed a comfortable life due to David’s high-paying engineering job. Immediately after moving into their new home, Louise invited her mother and siblings to visit. This marked the beginning of a series of trips the family would make to Texas in the following years, with all expenses covered by Louise and David.
However, Teresa Robinette, Louise’s sister, revealed that shortly after the couple’s second son was born in 1992, David and Louise filed for bankruptcy, despite David’s substantial income. In July 1993, while pregnant with their third child, Louise met her family, again demanding payment for all expenses.
As their eldest daughter Jennifer Turpin began first grade at 8 years old, signs of neglect were evident. Jennifer, who appeared frail, was mocked by classmates not only for being several years older than her peers but also for her unkempt appearance. She wore the same clothes to school every day, her long, greasy brown hair cut unevenly and never brushed. Classmates would hold their noses when Jennifer passed by due to her odor.
An Unusual Life
In 1995, Louise Turpin gave birth to their fourth child. The following year, she and David took their children to visit their family. Once again, they footed the bill, treating everyone to lavish meals at fancy restaurants.
When Louise’s sister Elizabeth moved in with the couple for a while, she quickly realized something was amiss in Louise and David’s family. Both were overly strict with their young children, especially Jennifer. The children had to ask permission for everything, even to use the restroom. Throughout Elizabeth’s summer stay, she never saw David and Louise kiss or even hold their children. This was also the last time any of David and Louise’s relatives knew about the children.
On May 21, 1997, Louise gave birth to their fifth child. Three months later, Jennifer began second grade. Her hygiene had deteriorated even further. A classmate recalled, “She always smelled of dirty clothes and urine. Jennifer also began exhibiting disruptive behavior in front of classmates.”
In 1998, Louise gave birth to their sixth child, and financial difficulties increased despite David’s high earnings. The couple frequently drove to Louisiana to gamble, mostly losing heavily.
In the spring of the following year, the couple suddenly pulled their eldest daughter Jennifer out of school. Since then, none of the Turpin children had been seen attending school as their father decided to homeschool them.
Some of the Turpin children were almost illiterate. Jennifer, the most educated among them, tried to teach her siblings but couldn’t get them past the first half of the alphabet.
In 1999, Louise Turpin gave birth to their seventh child, and the family moved to a secluded house in Rio Vista, Texas. Here, the cycle of violence began. Initially, Louise and David used leather belts to whip their children. Later, they resorted to wooden sticks or canoe paddles.
The children were only given one meal a day with meager portions, leaving them malnourished, physically and cognitively impaired. Nevertheless, Louise often sent relatives photos of her and the children, masking the truth. In the photos, the children always smiled, dressed neatly, completely masking their suffering.
In May 2004, the couple moved again and welcomed their 11th child. David constructed a cage to imprison any child who dared to defy him. In 2006, their 12th child was born.
Several years later, the family relocated to Perris, California, where Louise gave birth to their 13th child. Here, the abuse escalated even further and only ceased when their 17-year-old daughter bravely fled and alerted the police. No one could fathom why this couple turned so cruel.
The Unfathomable Reasons
David Turpin (57 years old) and his wife Louise Turpin (49 years old) faced a total of 75 charges related to the systematic abuse, torture, and imprisonment of their 13 children aged 2 to 29 over several years.
Investigators still couldn’t pinpoint why this couple subjected their children to such torment. Neither of them had a history of substance abuse. However, factors like drug abuse or loss of impulse control were insufficient to explain the calm and prolonged brutality exhibited by the Turpins.
Psychological experts suggest that the abuse perpetrated by this couple wasn’t just about violence; it stemmed from a sadistic pleasure in inflicting physical and mental pain on others gradually.
“In my experience, parents in cases like this often suffer from mental disorders. They may be depressed or suffer from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Some of them were victims of abuse themselves as children,” remarked Priscilla Dass-Brailsford, a psychology professor at Georgetown University.
Meanwhile, sociologist David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, hypothesized that the Turpins may have been delusional or suffering from paranoid delusions. Both these mental conditions lead to irrational abusive behavior.
“These individuals may convince themselves that they are acting to protect their children from the decay of a terrible society. Or they may see their children as demons in need of punishment and confinement,” Professor Finkelhor explained.
The financial crisis resulting from supporting a large family of 15 members could also be a reason for starving the children. While Louise Turpin stayed home as a homemaker, David Turpin, despite having an exorbitant salary, once filed for bankruptcy due to substantial debts.
Tearful Trial
Upon arrest, the couple initially denied all allegations but later pleaded guilty, crying and apologizing for treating their 13 children in such a manner. “I thought homeschooling and strict discipline were good for them. I never intended to harm my children,” David Turpin said in court.
Meanwhile, Louise Turpin also expressed remorse for her actions: “I love my children very much. I truly look forward to a day when I can see them, hold them, and apologize.”
During the trial, the heart-wrenching testimonies of the children left many feeling sympathetic. “I am haunted by everything and cannot articulate in words what I have been through all these years. I always have nightmares. I often dream of being chained and beaten. But now everything is in the past. Regardless, I still love my parents and forgive them,” said the Turpin’s son.
Another child, though unable to attend the trial due to being hospitalized, had her older brother read a letter of forgiveness to their parents in court. “I love my parents very much. Although the way they raised us was somewhat wrong, we are still alive.”
However, not all children found it easy to forgive their parents. Another daughter trembled and cried in court: “My parents have ruined my life, and only now can I begin my own life. I will never forget the terrible things that happened. It’s truly a nightmare.”
The 17-year-old girl who escaped the house and sought help said, “Me, my younger sister, and one of my brothers were chained to the bed. Sometimes I woke up unable to breathe because of the foul odor in that dark, oppressive house.”
In the end, David Turpin and Louise Turpin were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for at least 25 years for the crimes of imprisoning and torturing their children.
