Case File: Turpin Family

David Turpin was born in 1961 and Louise Robinette was born in 1968. Both grew up in West Virginia, where they met while attending Princeton High School. They married in 1985 when Louise was 16 and David was 23, and eventually had 13 children. Louise's sister later alleged that she, Louise and other female relatives had been sexually abused by a male family member during childhood. She claimed their mother knew about the abuse but continued taking the children to visit him because he provided financial assistance.

Religion played an important role in the family's identity. David was raised in the Pentecostal Christian faith, and his parents said that the couple believed God had called on them to have a large family. They also described the children's homeschooling as extremely strict, emphasizing Bible memorization. David worked as an electrical engineer for defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, while Louise primarily raised the children.

According to their eldest daughter, Jennifer, the family's early years in Texas were relatively comfortable, but conditions deteriorated as more children were born. Their home became increasingly filthy, and Louise began exhibiting unpredictable and sometimes violent behavior. Jennifer attended public school through third grade, often wearing dirty clothes, before her parents withdrew her. By 1999, the family had moved to an isolated home in Rio Vista, Texas, where Jennifer said neglect escalated into physical abuse, with her parents citing Bible passages to justify their punishments.

Despite David's relatively high income, the family experienced financial difficulties. The couple filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and again in 2011. The family lived for years in Texas before moving to Murrieta, Calif., in 2010 and Perris in 2014. David registered a private school called Sandcastle Day School, but the children received little meaningful education, rarely visited doctors and had limited contact with outsiders.

The family also maintained an unusual schedule, often sleeping during the day. Yet the Turpins cultivated an image of togetherness, taking occasional Disneyland trips and renewing their wedding vows in Las Vegas with the children dressed alike. Neighbors later recalled seeing the siblings infrequently, but few suspected the abuse occurring inside.

According to prosecutors and the siblings' accounts, David and Louise routinely deprived their children of food, subjected them to physical abuse and confined them for prolonged periods. The parents sometimes left food where the children could see but not eat it, while siblings recalled being punished for taking food when they were hungry.

In 2007, according to eldest daughter Jennifer, the couple moved 10 of their children into a trailer on their Texas property, then left with their two youngest babies. She said they returned about once a week with groceries, sometimes skipping visits altogether and rarely leaving enough food. The siblings also described beatings, verbal abuse and restraints involving ropes or chains. Basic hygiene was severely restricted: Prosecutors said some children were allowed to shower only once a year and could be punished for washing their hands above their wrists.

The siblings spent much of their time confined to bedrooms, sometimes receiving only one meal a day. Their isolation extended to education and ordinary childhood activities. Although their parents claimed to homeschool them, investigators found that the oldest daughter had completed only a third-grade education. Some siblings tried to teach themselves using whatever books and materials they could access, but many lacked the knowledge and practical experience needed to navigate life outside the household.

By 2018, seven of the 13 children were adults, including Jennifer, the eldest, who was 29. Despite their ages, they remained under their parents' control, with little formal education or experience living independently. Jennifer later described trying to protect her younger siblings, even as she endured years of abuse herself.

One of her younger sisters, Jordan, then 17, had begun questioning their parents' control and searching for a way to get help. Using an old smartphone, she secretly accessed the internet, learned more about the outside world and began planning an escape, which took nearly two years to organize. She also photographed her siblings in restraints, hoping the images would convince authorities to intervene. When she learned the family was preparing to move to Oklahoma, Jordan feared she might lose her chance to act.

On January 14, 2018, Jordan climbed out of a window of the family's Perris home, carrying the cellphone with photographs of her siblings. She called 911, telling the dispatcher that her parents were abusive and that some of her sisters were chained up. Riverside County sheriff's deputies responded, including Deputy Anthony Colace, who spoke with Jordan and examined the photographs. Her small stature and malnourishment initially made her appear much younger. She also struggled to answer basic questions, including the address of her home.

When deputies entered the residence, they found filthy living conditions, severely undernourished children and evidence of prolonged confinement. A 22-year-old sibling was discovered shackled to a bed, while two others had recently been freed from restraints. All 13 children, ranging in age from 2 to 29, were removed from the home, and David and Louise Turpin were arrested. 

Following the arrests, investigators worked to establish the extent of the abuse. Medical examinations revealed severe malnutrition, impaired growth and other health problems among several siblings. Some of the adult children weighed far less than expected for their ages, and prosecutors said years of deprivation had caused muscle wasting and lasting physical harm. Authorities also documented the restraints and unsanitary conditions inside the home and gathered accounts from the siblings describing years of mistreatment.

Prosecutors charged David and Louise Turpin with numerous felonies, including torture, false imprisonment and child cruelty. Although all 13 siblings were rescued, the charges involved 12 children; none pertained to the youngest, who investigators determined had not suffered the same abuse. In October 2018, Louise's attorney sought to have her placed in a mental health treatment program instead of facing prosecution, citing an alleged diagnosis of histrionic personality disorder. A judge rejected the request, finding that she posed an unreasonable risk to public safety.

On February 22, 2019, both parents pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts each, including one count of torture, four of false imprisonment, six of cruelty to an adult dependent and three of willful child cruelty. Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said the agreement spared the siblings from having to testify at a lengthy, highly publicized trial.

On April 19, 2019, both parents were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Several siblings addressed the court or submitted statements describing their experiences and hopes for the future. One adult daughter declared, "My parents took my whole life from me, but now I'm taking my life back." Her brother, Joshua, described continuing nightmares about the abuse but also spoke of learning to ride a bicycle and plans to attend college. Some siblings expressed forgiveness or affection for their parents despite what they had endured.

David and Louise also addressed the court, although neither offered a clear explanation for the years of abuse. David maintained that his homeschooling and discipline had been well-intentioned, while Louise apologized for hurting her children and insisted that she loved them. Prosecutors likewise never established a definitive motive. Both parents will be eligible for parole consideration after serving 25 years.

The siblings' rescue prompted widespread sympathy and financial donations, but their transition to independence proved difficult. In a 2021 ABC News interview, Jordan, Jennifer and other siblings described struggling to obtain housing, food, transportation and access to donated funds. Some adult siblings reported receiving inadequate assistance, prompting District Attorney Hestrin to publicly question the county's handling of their care.

A 2022 independent investigation commissioned by Riverside County found serious failures in the care provided to the Turpin siblings, including inadequate oversight and difficulties accessing housing, financial assistance and other services. Six of the siblings had been placed with foster parents Marcelino and Rosa Olguin and their adult daughter, Lennys, where they suffered further abuse. According to a subsequent lawsuit, the children were beaten, forced to eat their own vomit and made to recount the abuse they had endured at their parents' hands.

In September 2024, all three Olguins pleaded guilty to child endangerment and false imprisonment. Marcelino Olguin also pleaded guilty to committing lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 and was sentenced to seven years in state prison. His wife, Rosa, and their daughter, Lennys, each received four years of probation.

In February 2026, six Turpin siblings reached a $13.5 million settlement with Riverside County and foster care agency ChildNet over their treatment in foster care. The county agreed to pay $2.25 million, while ChildNet agreed to pay $11.25 million; neither admitted wrongdoing.

That same month, siblings James, Jolinda and Julissa spoke publicly for the first time about the abuse they had endured both before and after their rescue. In an ABC News interview with Diane Sawyer, Julissa recalled feeling unsafe almost immediately after arriving at the foster home, while Jolinda described living in fear and being unable to speak openly with social workers. The siblings also discussed the lasting effects of their experiences and their determination to prevent other children from suffering similar abuse.