In January 2018, 17-year-old Jordan Turpin escaped her family's California home and exposed years of abuse that left 13 children deprived of basic care and, in some cases, chained to beds. David and Louise Turpin pleaded guilty to 14 felonies and were each sentenced to 25 years to life in April 2019. Louise is listed in state records at the California Institution for Women with parole review possible in 2032; David's prison location is undisclosed. The rescued children have been undergoing recovery, and the case led to increased scrutiny of private home-school oversight.
Where Are David and Louise Turpin Now? Life After the ‘House of Horrors’ Case
The Turpin Family ; Louise Turpin poses for a mugshot on Jan. 14, 2018, in Riverside, Calif.Facebook ; Riverside County Sheriffs Department via Getty
In January 2018 a 17-year-old, Jordan Turpin, escaped a Southern California home and alerted authorities to years of extreme abuse. The discovery led to the arrest of her parents, David and Louise Turpin, and the rescue of 13 children who had been kept in squalid conditions, with some chained to beds and denied basic medical care, hygiene and adequate food.
The Turpin family David-Louis Turpin/Facebook
How the Abuse Was Exposed
Jordan crawled out of a window and called 911, telling the operator her parents were abusive and that younger siblings were chained to beds. Police who entered the house found three children physically chained and others confined to rooms that smelled of filth. The rescued children ranged in age from 2 to 29 and many were reported to lack basic life skills.
David Turpin and Louise Turpin.ABC
'My parents are abusive. My two little sisters right now are chained up ... they're chained up to their bed,' Jordan told the 911 operator when she escaped.
Allegations and Methods of Control
Prosecutors described a pattern of systematic physical, emotional and psychological abuse. Reported methods included chaining children to beds, withholding food and medical care, forbidding showers, deliberately leaving a smoke alarm to beep continuously to create stress, and staging manipulative food punishments where food was placed within reach but forbidden. One account from prosecutors described a child being forced to watch a pet killed as punishment.
The Turpin family home. Sandy Huffaker/Getty
Legal Outcome and Where They Are Now
David and Louise Turpin were arrested soon after Jordan's 2018 call. They pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts, including child cruelty, torture, false imprisonment and cruelty to a dependent adult. In April 2019 a Riverside County judge sentenced each parent to 25 years to life in prison. The sentence may allow parole consideration after roughly 22 years and four months, subject to board review.
Jordan Turpin. ABC
State records indicate Louise Turpin is incarcerated at the California Institution for Women, with a parole review date listed as September 2032 (subject to change). Officials have not publicly disclosed David Turpin's current housing location.
David Allen Turpin ; Louise Anna Turpin. Riverside County Sheriff's Department (2)
Aftermath: The Children and Broader Implications
Many of the surviving children have since been rebuilding their lives, working through medical and psychological recovery, and in some cases speaking publicly about their experiences. The case prompted wider discussion about oversight of home-schooling and how long-term abuse can remain hidden within families.
David Allen Turpin and Louise Anna Turpin in court on May 4, 2018, in Riverside, Calif.Frederick M. Brown/Getty (2)
Context And Resources
The Turpins had registered a private K–12 home school with the California Department of Education, and records showed David listed as administrator and principal. Media reports have indicated David previously worked as an engineer and Louise as a homemaker.
If you suspect child abuse or need help, 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 multiple languages.
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