At 6:00 AM on January 14, 2018, 13-year-old Jolinda Turpin and her 17-year-old sister, Jordan Turpin, made a daring escape from their home through a small window. Jolinda, feeling frightened and anxious, decided to return inside, while Jordan pressed on alone. After gaining some distance, Jordan managed to call 911 using an old, deactivated phone that belonged to their mother.
When the dispatcher inquired about their address, Jordan was unable to provide it, as she had never been allowed outside. Eventually, the phone’s location was traced, and the police arrived at the scene.
The house was situated on a quiet suburban street, and upon entering, officers discovered 12 siblings, all of whom were found chained and shackled to beds in a room that was filthy and reeked of urine.
Authorities noted that all the children appeared to be much younger than their actual ages, even though seven of them were over 18. The six younger children were taken to Riverside Medical Center, while the seven older siblings were transferred to Corona Medical Center.
That same night, around 9:00 PM, Jordan and Jolinda’s parents, David and Louise Turpin, were arrested and charged with suspicion of child abuse and torture. When questioned by the police about why their children were chained, the couple was unable to provide any explanation.
As the investigation commenced, a team of at least five sheriff’s deputies was required to clear out the repulsive house. They had to open every door and window to ventilate the space due to the overwhelming stench.
Two days after the arrest, news of the situation spread rapidly throughout the area, prompting the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department to hold a press conference.
On January 18, David and Louise pleaded not guilty to a multitude of charges. In total, they faced 50 counts, including torture, false imprisonment, and child abuse. The Riverside County District Attorney held another press conference to clarify the situation, revealing that the children had been taunted with food and starved to the point of stunted growth. The children had endured beatings, choking, and were kept in chains.
Seventeen-year-old Jordan, who had escaped, recounted to authorities a disturbing incident from when she was 12 years old. She described how her father, David, had pulled down her underwear, sat her on his lap, and attempted to kiss her on the lips. The encounter ended abruptly when David heard Louise approaching, and he warned Jordan not to speak of it.
Louise’s sister, Elizabeth, gave an interview shortly after the arrest, stating that when she visited Louise in jail, her sister seemed completely disconnected from reality. Elizabeth claimed that Louise genuinely believed she would be released soon and that they would play board games together afterward. This raised questions about whether Louise had been brainwashed. At the time of their marriage, Louise was just 16, while David was 23, leading to speculation about whether he had groomed her for his lifestyle, given her young and impressionable age.
The paternal grandparents of the Turpin children also expressed their shock and disbelief regarding the allegations. They mentioned that they had spoken to David only once or twice and had not visited in several years. They recalled that during their last visit years prior, all the children appeared healthy and happy.
On June 20, 2018, the Turpins had their first court hearing, which aimed to present evidence and establish probable cause for an indictment.
During the hearing, the prosecution played the 911 call recording and displayed photographs of two children who had been chained. This evidence was sufficient to proceed to trial. As more evidence emerged, it became clear that the children had been denied any activities other than writing in journals. When police searched the house, they discovered hundreds of pages of journals detailing the horrific experiences the children had endured. These journals provided crucial evidence, outlining how the parents had beaten, starved, choked, and chained their children, who ranged in age from 2 to 29, over a span of 18 years. Closets had been converted into cages, blood was found on the carpets, and feces littered the home.
The children were confined to their rooms for up to 20 hours a day, allowed to shower only once a year, and had never seen a dentist. The last time they had visited a doctor was four or five years prior. They were also prohibited from socializing with one another. If they were caught trying to take food, they were punished by being chained to their beds. The children were not permitted to stand or exercise; they were forced to sit or lie down at all times.
In one particularly cruel incident, a 9-year-old daughter was caught stealing food. Louise ordered her to “bring me your cat.” Louise then put the cat outside and forced the girl to watch as wild dogs devoured it.
When the children were evaluated at the hospital, many exhibited signs of muscle wasting, and some were underweight by as much as 32 pounds. Two of the daughters will face lifelong challenges, as they are unable to have children and suffer from psychosocial dwarfism, a growth disorder caused by extreme stress.
After reviewing all the evidence, on February 22, 2019, Louise and David Turpin accepted a plea deal. They each changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty on one count of torture, three counts of willful child abuse, four counts of false imprisonment, and six counts of cruelty to an adult dependent. Both were sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years. However, experts believe it is unlikely they will ever be granted parole due to the severity of their crimes.
The children spent two months in the hospital, during which they received treatment for various health issues, including heart damage from malnutrition, cognitive impairments, and neuropathy. Following their hospital stay, the six minors were placed in two different foster homes.
In October 2019, five of the younger children were adopted by a family that turned out to be abusive. Allegations against the foster family included “hitting them in the face with sandals, pulling their hair, hitting them with a belt, and striking their heads.” The children were reportedly forced to overeat and then made to consume “their own vomit.” Additionally, the foster father was accused of “grabbing and fondling” the children and “kissing them on the mouth.” This foster family was subsequently arrested and charged with abusing multiple children in their care.
By early 2020, the Riverside County Deputy District Attorney reported that the children were living independently, attending school, and working, with one of them having graduated from college.
An investigation conducted by the ABC news magazine 20/20, which featured the case in a November 2021 special titled “Escape from a House of Horror,” revealed that some of the Turpin children were now facing neglect from Riverside County social services. Some were homeless, and none had access to the hundreds of thousands of dollars that had been donated to them. This money was placed in a trust managed by a court-appointed public guardian. Joshua Turpin expressed frustration, stating that he could not access the funds and was denied the ability to purchase a bicycle. In an interview with Diane Sawyer for the 20/20 special, Jordan Turpin shared that she was released from a foster home without any warning, lacking essential life skills, a housing plan, or knowledge of how to obtain food and healthcare. The report indicated that Riverside County had hired a private law firm to investigate allegations of abuse within social services.
In July 2022, the Turpin siblings filed lawsuits in Riverside County Superior Court against the foster care agency that had placed them in a home where they allegedly experienced further abuse and neglect. Two nearly identical lawsuits were submitted, one representing the two older siblings and the other representing the four younger siblings. The defendants named in the lawsuits included Riverside County, Foster Family Network, and ChildNet Youth and Family Services.
The Riverside County sheriff’s department had already been investigating the foster home, which involved nine alleged victims, since early 2021. On September 19, 2024, three of the foster parents pleaded guilty to various charges of abuse: Marcelino Olguin pleaded guilty to three counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14, one count of child endangerment, and one count of false imprisonment. His wife, Rosa, and their daughter, Lennys, pleaded guilty to child endangerment and false imprisonment. On October 18, Marcelino was sentenced to seven years in state prison, while Rosa and Lennys received four years of probation.
