Before sunrise on Sunday, January 14, 2018 a 17-year old girl escaped from her home in Perris, California going directly to the police to inform them of the devastating condition her 12 siblings were in. The children, ages 2-29 were shackled and chained in different locations of their home. The police officers, not believing their eyes, gave them food and water before taking them to the hospital. A neighbor of the Turpins mentioned that the children appeared to be very skinny, and not a healthy skinny but a malnourished type of skinny. When the authorities showed up at the house, they did not believe there were any adults. Due to being malnourished, they seemed to be 10-13 years old. Up to now there seems to be no evidence that indicates the children were sexually abused, but the investigation is still ongoing.

The biological parents of the children, David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49 were not able to immediately provide the authorities a logical reason and explanation as to why the children were chained up. The Washington Post states that the biological mother, “Louise Turpin, seemed ‘perplexed'” by all of the investigators’ questions.

Evaristo Guerrero asked, “How can those parents get away with that much abuse to all those children?” The family lived in a nice neighborhood and although their behavior seemed a little strange to the neighbors, nobody ever said anything, scared of the fact they would seem like bad people. The children only came out at night and appeared very pale. It did not seem as though 13 children were living inside, only 2-3 were ever seen outside. When one neighbor tried to compliment their Christmas lights that some kids where hanging up, the children instead of replying stared scared, like if they wanted to become invisible at that moment. “The neighbors should have been more attentive to what was happening in their neighborhood, especially since the children showed signs of abuse,” Evaristo Guerrero mentioned.

The biological father, David Turpin, is listed in a Department of Education directory as the principal of Sandcastle Day School. It was a private k-12 school he ran from their house. Apparently in the directory the school opened in 2011 and in the school year 2016-2017 six kids were enrolled in grades; fifth, sixth, eighth, ninth, 10th and 12th.

The couple has also recently declared bankruptcy in 2011. Their lawyer, recently interviewed by The Washington Post, shared with them that the couple seemed very normal and even spoke of their kids.