Summary: The California couple accused of keeping their 13 children captive are facing additional charges.
The California couple accused of locking their 13 children up in their home are facing additional charges. David and Louise Turpin were arrested for torturing 12 of their children after one of those kids, a 17-year-old girl, escaped and dialed 911 on an old cellphone.
Riverside County District Attorney spokesman John Hall announced that the Turpin parents are facing three additional counts each. Louise Turpin is facing an additional felony assault charge, according to CNN.
The next court hearing is set for March 23 with a May 14 start date for the preliminary hearing but David Turpin’s attorney, David Macher, noted that there is “a lot of evidence” so the preliminary hearing will likely be postponed. Much of the new evidence comes from journals that the children kept. They were allowed to do very little else in the home except write in journals in their rooms which resulted in numerous journals that the authorities are combing through.
The house the children between the ages of 2 and 29 were found in has been described by police as a “house of horrors” despite its cheerful façade as the private Sandcastle Day School. Some of the children were allegedly shackled to their beds for weeks at a time while all kids were only allowed to shower once a year, were beaten, were deprived of water, and given small amounts of food on strict schedules. The oldest child, a 29-year-old female, weighed 82 pounds at the time they were rescued.
The parents have pleaded not guilty to over 40 charges, which include false imprisonment, torture, child abuse, abuse of a dependent adult. David Turpin also faces one count of lewd conduct with a minor. Police accuse the parents of beating and choking some of the children, although the 2-year-old is not believed to have been tortured. All of the children are underweight, causing them to look much younger than they actually are.
Before the additional charges were added on, the Turpins were already facing up to 94 years or life in prison. A state court judge has banned any contact by the parents with the children or other witnesses in the case for the next three years. The parents are being held on $12 million bail each. The charges against them only cover the time the family lived in Riverside County, which began in 2010.
The children have a long road ahead of them. People from around the world have donated over $570,000 for the medical and educational expenses that the children will require, according to Riverside University Health System spokeswoman Erin Phillips. She said, “In cases like this there are long-term needs like behavioral health, housing, scholarships, educational support, tutors and medical needs.”
Do you think the Turpins should ever be released from prison? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
To learn more about abusive parents, read these articles:
- Texas Mom Arrested for Bringing 8-Year-Old Son to Hospitals Over 300 Times
- Police Find a Dozen Children Trapped in California Home
- Modern Family’s Ariel Winter Taken from Her Abusive Mother
Family Photo: independent.co.uk
Parent Photo: express.co.uk