Whatever happened to the Turpin family

DAVID and Louise Turpin made headlines in 2018 after it was revealed they imprisoned and abused their children.

Now, the Turpin's are behind bars and their children have spoken out for the first time.

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What happened to the children found in Perris, California?

David and Louise Turpin's children had been chained to filthy beds and forced to live in squalor for years.

They were fed only once a day, allowed to shower just once a year, and were deprived of toys and games.

The parents had starved them to the point that they stopped growing, and suffered from muscle shrinkage.

The kids lived on bologna and peanut butter sandwiches while their parents ate take-out, according to People.

While the parents ate well, they cruelly tormented their starving kids by leaving apple and pumpkin pies on the kitchen counter, but not letting them have any, said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin.

They had to sleep during the day and were active for only a few hours at night.

The Turpins imprisoned the children in a house that appeared neatly kept outside, but festered with filth and reeked of human waste.

Cops discovered the kids in a dark and foul-smelling house about 70 miles east of Los Angeles on January 14, 2018.

The victims were severely underweight and hadn’t bathed for months.

They described being beaten, starved, and put in cages.

The children spent most of their time locked in their room.

Shocked authorities said they had been confined to the house of horrors - chained to furniture, starved, and often deprived of the use of a toilet.

Some of the victims were so detached they didn’t understand the concept of a police officer or medicine.

Investigators concluded that the couple’s youngest child, a toddler, was the only one who was not abused.

Riverside County Sheriff's Office said in January 2018: "Deputies located what they believed to be 12 children inside the house, but were shocked to discover that seven of them were actually adults.

"The victims appeared to be malnourished and very dirty."

Pictures showed filth-caked carpets and doors covered with the kids' scratches.

All the children's names begin with the letter J, according to court documents that didn't provide their full names.

After they were removed by cops, more than $500,000 in donations were raised by local groups for their care.

The funds helped provide medical and dental care, educational assistance, and other services for the abused siblings.

What have the children said about the abuse?

For the first time since their 2018 rescue, two of the Turpin sisters spoke out on a 20/20 special.

Jordan Turpin, the sibling that called 911, and her sister Jennifer sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer and described what life was like in what many call the "House of Horrors."

"My whole body was shaking," Jordan recalled to Diane about calling 911. "...I think it was us coming close to death so many times."

Adding, "It was literally now or never."

Jennifer Turpin told Sawyer: "I was afraid to do one little thing wrong.

"If I did one little thing wrong I was going to be beaten. And not just beat, beat until I bled."

Body camera footage showed Jordan telling the officer four years ago: "This is the scariest thing I've ever done."

When officer Anthony Colace asked if Jordan had pictures of what she was talking about, she showed him.

Jordan showed him a photo she took of her sisters who were chained up.

She said in the bodycam video that they were chained up because they "stole food."

The two-hour episode aired on November 19, 2021, on ABC.

How old are the children and where are they now?

When authorities first found the children, they ranged from two to 29 years old.

However, it remains unclear how old they are now as not much information about the children has been released.

At the time of their rescue, Child Protective Services (CPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS) were called and the siblings were given food and drink after they were found emaciated.

Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Kevin Beecham told People in 2020: “They’re all happy.

“They are moving on with their lives."

It was later reported by the Desert Sun that the Turpin children were able to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, as they had been forced to spend most of their lives indoors and avoiding other people.

Jack Osborn, the adult siblings' attorney, said: "Covid-19 makes it challenging but they're in school and just living normal lives.

"They grew up not going outside. It's weird for them now, but it's something they're doing OK with."

The paper reports that the adult Turpin siblings still live in areas across Southern California.

They were said to still be adjusting to "traditional lifestyles after years of abuse and imprisonment at the hands of their parents."

Where are David and Louise now?

In February 2019, both parents pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts including cruelty to a dependent adult, child cruelty, torture, and false imprisonment.

As a result, they were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 22 years.

David is now 60 years old while his wife is 53 years old.

At their sentencing, David's attorney read a prepared statement that said he, "never intended for any harm to come to my children…. I hope the very best for my children in their future."

Louise added, "I want to say I am sorry for everything I have done. I love my children so much… I pray for my children every day. I am truly sorry for everything I have done to hurt them. I love them more than they can ever imagine."

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How did the police find the 13 children?

Two of the Turpins' imprisoned children made a bid for freedom early January 14, 2018.

However, one sibling became too scared and returned home, while the second, their 17-year-old daughter, called 911 for help.

The teenage daughter who escaped had jumped from a window.

After a lifetime in isolation, she did not know her address, the month of the year, or what the word “medication” meant.

But she knew enough to punch 911 into a barely workable cellphone and began describing years of abuse to a police dispatcher.

She said in a high-pitched voice: “They will wake up at night and they will start crying and they wanted me to call somebody.”

The girl added: “I wanted to call y’all so y’all can help my sisters.”

She had planned the escape for two years, Riverside County authorities said.

The then-teen was hailed as a hero for liberating her siblings by Jack Osborn, the lawyer representing the seven adult Turpin kids.

Police said they initially assumed she was just ten years old because she was so emaciated.

She told the authorities her 12 brothers and sisters were being held captive and that some were bound with chains and padlocks.

Neighbours tell of their shock after teen’s escape leads to discovery of 13 malnourished victims being held captive in ​Californian ​home