A brave young girl broke out of her abusive parents home to save her 12 siblings from the horrors of living there. When police got there, they found 13 children in states of distress, some of them even being tied up. The worst part: They assumed they were all children, but seven of the 13 were over the age of 18, the oldest being 29. They were so malnourished that they looked like they were young kids.
One Phone Call
On a cold January day in 2018, police dispatchers received a call from a meek sounding girl. What she had to tell them would end up blowing a decades-long case of abuse wide open.
She Escaped
The girl was 17-year-old Jordan Turpin. She told the dispatcher that she lived in a family of 15 people and that the children needed help. “My parents are abusive. They abuse us and my two little sisters right now are chained up,” she said in police recording.
Filthy Surroundings
“We live in filth and sometimes I wake up and can’t breathe because of how dirty the house is,†Jordan said. When the operator asked when the last time she had a bath was, Jordan paused. “I don’t know. Almost a year ago.â€
Police Respond
The dispatcher acted quickly and got police out to the residence. Jordan had been gone from the house but didn’t really know where she was. “I don’t go out much.”
A Heinous Scene
When the police rolled up, they were shocked. It was a true house of horrors. The children were chained up to the beds, as expected, and the house was completely disgusting…
Hard To Believe
The police reported feces on the walls and the floors. The mattresses on the beds were disintegrated and soiled. There were dead, rotting animals in some of the rooms. The state of the children was even worse…
Malnourished and Pale
The children were all found to be extremely malnourished and sickly. The oldest was actually 29-years-old and weighed only 81 pounds.
Officers Couldnât Comprehend This Situation
Seven of the kids were over the age of 18, yet the officers had no idea. They assumed they were all younger children because of their childlike demeanors and sickly-looking physic. The officers gave them snacks, since they were starving, before taking them to the hospital.
Saving the Kids
The police rescued the kids from the home and arrested Louise, 50, and David, 57, in connection with the abuse. This was only the beginning of this horrendous tale of these sadistic parents.
Starting with Louise
In an interview, Louise’s sister said that they, along with her cousin, were sexually assaulted by their grandfather. Their mother would drive them over to his house, accept payment for the time he got with the girls and left their daughters there.
Meeting David
When Louise met David, she was still in the throes of her abuse. They met at church and instantly clicked. He was a part of a wealthy and smart family, but he was a “nerd,†as Louise’s sister jokingly described.
Leaving the Abuse
Louise left her abusive household the only way she knew how… By marrying David. They ended up tieing the knot when she was 16 and he was 23. For her, it was a turn.
Cycle of Abuse
To her sister, it was apparent that Louise continued the cycle of abuse with her own children.
Having Kids
Louise had their first daughter when she was around 20-years-old. Everything seemed fine with the couple at the time. David was a successful engineer who made nearly $140k a year. They loved going to church together, and had as many kids as “God gave” them, according to her sister.
Home Schooling
The first red flag should have been the homeschooling. All of their children were put through homeschooling, according to the parents.
Legally Registered
David registered his home as “Sandcastle Day School” within the California Department of Education directory. He and Louise claimed gha they homeschooled the kids, so they gained the correct permits to operate it. Jordan had something to say about that…
All Lies
“We don’t do school. Our mother tells people we’ve private schooled and she has a fake private school set up but we don’t really do school. I haven’t finished first grade and I’m 17,†Jordan told the dispatcher.
Not a Normal Childhood
The kids were not allowed to socialize with anyone and were kept inside. They had no friends in the neighborhood, and obviously no school friends.
Bizarre Outings
On the rare occasion that the family left the home, usually for family vacations, they were forced to wear matching outfits. Louise’s family thought it was weird, but she would always joke and say that it was just “easier†to keep track of all of them that way…
Disney World Vacations
Once a year, the family would go out to Disney and Las Vegas to have some fun. David would post these photos on social media for everyone to see. On the outside, they just looked like a normal family, maybe even a little dorky…
What the Family Thought
Her sister, Elizabeth, was kind of suspicious about what the kids looked like. She said she would see them on Skype phone calls and had some questions… Apparently, Louise quickly changed their daily calls to only phone calls.
The Torture
Obviously, the Turpin’s kept their children hungry, especially when they were “bad.” The children told investigators that their parents would punish them by putting out delicious food and snacks on the table and making them stare at it and never eat it.
Controlling Parents
The two made their children sleep in odd cycles, so they were awake most of the night. Their ‘bedtime’ was at four or five in the morning. They were only allowed to shower once a year and were barely allowed to wash their hands.
The First Break
Their oldest daughter tired running from the remote home when they lived in Texas. The neighbors ended up seeing her and returning her to the home. They were under the impression that she was mentally handicapped.
Fleeing The Texas Home
After a while, the couple went bankrupt. They couldn’t afford the home in Texas and it foreclosed. They fled to California and left the home in a state of disgust.
It Was Horrific
The home was left in a horrific state. The neighbors were let in to see it and were surprised to see the feces covered floors, walls, and leftover furniture. They were shocked, but never contacted authorities.
The Neighbors
They always noticed that the blinds were always closed and the kids were never outside of the home. They did report that kids toys were outside, but always in the same spot. It was suspicious, so why didn’t the neighbors say anything? See something, say something, right?
They Were Hesitant
The neighbors reported that they were hesitant to say anything. They said that this was a neighborhood where they minded their own business… Plus, David had a pistol.
In Cali…
They moved from rural Texas to suburban California, which was a huge difference for the family. The neighbors were sort of aware of the family and their weird ways. Once again, they stayed quiet as well.
Bizarre Instances
Even though they knew the family was quiet, there were still weird things that stuck out. For one, they usually never saw the kids outside. They thought it was kind of weird that out of 13 kids, they were never outside…
Weird Marching?
Since the house was on one story, it was kind of easy to see inside. He said that when he got home at 2 am, he saw them marching in circles inside… He said it lasted for hours.
Very Few Interactions
One neighbor remembered seeing one of the daughters playing outside. She went to talk to her and mentioned that her hands were extremely white but her arms were dark (from dirt, but she didn’t know that). The daughter responded, “You wash to the wrist or you’re wasting water.”
Digging for Food
Another neighbor said that they witnessed two of the boys digging in trash cans… Presumably for food. For some reason, no one reported anything. It was up to the kids to save themselves.
Their Family Were Angered
When the news broke, their family, who were on the other side of the country, couldn’t understand why neighbors didn’t help the kids. Louise’s brother stated, “I’m disappointed with the neighbors. One had said they were marching in a circle upstairs at nighttime and they saw them in the window. To me, that seems a little strange right there. I would at least go knock on the door and be like is everything okay?”
Their Attorney Was Shocked
When they filed for bankruptcy in 2011, they had about $240,000 in debt. Their attorney, Ivan Trahan, who helped them through this case was totally surprised to hear about what happened with these kids.
He Had No Idea
Ivan said, “To me and my wife, Nancy, who was with me during the interviews, we always thought of them as very nice people who spoke highly of their children […] They seemed like very normal people who fell into financial problems.”
Jordan’s Escape
Their 17-year-old, who had endured sexual abuse by her father, decided to hop out a window with her mothers deactivated cellphone and call 911. She ended up single-handedly saving her siblings from continued torture.
They Don’t Like Us
Jordan told the operator, “I don’t know much about my mother. She doesn’t like us, she doesn’t spend time with us ever.”
Guilty
When police entered the family home, the parents were reportedly confused as to why they were being targeted. They also offered no excuses for the padlocks on the beds, doors, and cabinets as well as the filthy surroundings.
Not Guilty Plea
The deranged parents plead not guilty to the following charges: 12 counts of torture, seven counts of abuse of a dependent adult, six counts of child abuse or neglect and 12 counts of false imprisonment, for alleged crimes ranging from 2010 to the present. David Turpin is also charged with one count of lewd act on a child.
Secrets Come Out
As the investigation furthered and more people were interviewed, something shocking came to light. Apparently, Louise wanted to be a reality TV star and was obsessed with Kate Plus 8.
It Was Worse…
Her brother, Billy, said, “I believe that my sister wanted a reality show because the very last conversation that I had with her before all this happened – she did actually say that she feels that they would be perfect for TV at one point.”
The Kids Are Recovering
Since being rescued, all of the kids had been put into the hospital for malnourishment. There, they learned to love fresh food and even desserts! They had said they were only allowed frozen food a few times a week while imprisoned at their parents’ household.
They Are Excited To Start Life
The kids are slowly learning how to live a normal and healthy life. They were in rehab working on social and life skills in order to meld smoothly into the outside the world. The older Turpin kids were even able to pass their drivers tests!
Staff Favorites
The employees at the rehab called them the Magnificent 13 for their fun personalities. “We served them lunch and had cake for them […] The nurses that provided the care for them, and the physicians that provided care for them actually got to spend time with them before they left.”
Where Are They Now?
Many of the kids are in foster care. Five of the older children are taking college courses and live in their own apartments. So far, they are happy and healthy.
The Parents’ Demise
On April 19, 2019, David and Louise were sentenced 25 to life. One of their daughters gave a statement where she got to talk about her new life as a young adult in college. “My parents took my whole life from me but now I’m taking my life back.”
Their Son’s Statement
Their son, also unidentified, spoke out in court as well. “I cannot describe in words what we went through growing up… But that is the past and this is now… I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things that they did to us. I have learned so much and become very independent.”
Real or Fake Apology?
Louise apologized to her children and said that she loved them. David, too emotional to read his own statement, had his attorney read for him. “I never intended for any harm to come to my children. I’m sorry if I’ve done anything to cause them harm… I love my children and believe my children love me… I hope the very best for my children in the future.”
Why Did They Do It?
This is a question that will never be answered. No one will know why they really did it. The abusers simply claimed they did it out of love, which is an obvious lie. Teresa, Louise’s sister, thinks its was for a satanic cult…
A Cult?
When Louise told her sister the family had stepped away from the church, she was worried. Then, Louise when on to say that they began to swing and practice witchcraft. Teresa thought they were going insane.
Time to Live Life
The kids will never get their lost time back. The eldest kids will have to go on knowing that nearly a quarter of their life was spent in isolation and imprisonment. Luckily, they are strong kids and they know that this will not stop them from living the life that they want to.