Three of the youngest Turpin siblings speak on camera for the first time in a Diane Sawyer special airing Feb. 3 on ABC, describing years of abuse, starvation and confinement in their Perris, California home. Their escape in early 2018, led by Jordan Turpin, prompted the rescue of 13 siblings and the later conviction of parents David and Louise Turpin. The special also explores allegations that the six youngest faced further abuse while in foster care with the Olguin family, who later pleaded guilty to multiple charges. Resources for reporting suspected child abuse are provided.
Youngest Turpin Siblings Speak Out in Diane Sawyer Special After Years of Abuse and Traumatic Foster Care
Turpin Family: Diane SawyerDavid-Louis Turpin/Facebook; Manoli Figetakis/Getty
Three of the youngest survivors of the Turpin family abuse are speaking publicly for the first time in a one-hour Diane Sawyer special that revisits their decades of captivity and the continued trauma they say they endured after rescue.
About The Special
"The Turpins: A New House of Horror — A Diane Sawyer Special Event" airs Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and will be available to stream the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. The program features on-camera interviews with three of the youngest siblings, who recount life inside the family home, their escape, and the aftermath.
What They Describe
The siblings recount years of severe neglect and abuse at the Perris, California home where, before their rescue in early 2018, the 13 children — then aged 2 to 29 — were regularly beaten, starved and, at times, chained to beds or confined in cages as punishment for breaking household rules.
David and Louise Turpin Riverside County Sheriff's Department (2)
“We literally were dying in there from starvation, and she knew about it,” one of the Turpin daughters tells Sawyer in the special.
How They Were Found
The rescue followed an escape by Jordan Turpin, then 17, who fled the home and alerted authorities. That report led to the discovery of the other siblings and the high-profile investigation that followed.
Foster Care Aftermath
After the siblings were removed from their parents’ home, six of the youngest were placed with foster parents Marcelino and Rosa Olguin and the Olguins’ adult daughter, Lennys. According to the survivors and an attorney representing some siblings, conditions in that foster home further damaged their confidence and well‑being.
“These kids were just hit with a double whammy,” attorney Elan Zektser told PEOPLE. “They were made to feel worthless at home by their parents and then they were hit again when they went to the foster home.”
Legal Outcomes
The children's parents, David and Louise Turpin, were convicted on multiple felony counts — including torture, child cruelty and false imprisonment — and were each sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
Marcelino Olguin, Lennys Olguin in courtKCAL News/YouTube
The Olguins were arrested in 2021. In 2024, Marcelino Olguin pleaded guilty to multiple counts including lewd acts on minors, false imprisonment and injuring a child. Rosa Olguin and Lennys Olguin pleaded guilty to counts including willful child cruelty, false imprisonment and intimidating a witness; Rosa also pleaded guilty to grand theft.
Help And Resources
If you suspect child abuse or need to report a concern, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. Calls are toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Note: This article summarizes details reported in the Diane Sawyer special and related coverage; it aims to preserve the survivors’ accounts and public records while providing resources for those who may need help.
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