It’s been years since that 17-year-old girl climbed out of a window in Perris, California, clutching a deactivated cell phone. You probably remember the headlines. They were everywhere. The world watched in collective shock as the story of David and Louise Turpin unfolded—a narrative so grim it felt like something out of a medieval nightmare rather than a suburban tract home in 2018.
But here’s the thing: most people only know the surface level. They know about the chains. They know about the starvation. They don't really know what happened after the cameras left or how the system that was supposed to "save" these 13 siblings somehow managed to fail them all over again.
What Really Happened Inside the Turpin Home
Honestly, the details are still hard to stomach. David and Louise Turpin didn't just neglect their kids; they ran a calculated, twisted psychological experiment. We’re talking about 13 children, ranging from toddlers to 29-year-olds, who were kept in almost total isolation.
The "house of horrors" wasn't some dilapidated shack in the woods. It was a clean-looking house on Muir Woods Road. That’s what haunts people. The neighbors saw nothing. Or, more accurately, they saw a "vampire family"—kids who only came out at night, pale and blinking, to march in circles under the watchful eyes of their parents.
Inside? It was a different world.
- The Shackles: When police arrived, they found children chained to furniture. Not just ropes. Actual padlocks and heavy chains.
- The Hygiene: The kids were allowed exactly one shower a year. Just one. If they washed their hands above the wrist, they were punished for "playing in the water."
- The Food Torture: This is the part that really gets me. David and Louise would buy apple pies or new toys, put them on the counter, and forbid the kids from touching them. They’d just let the food rot while the children starved.
Why Didn't Anyone Notice?
You’ve gotta wonder how a family of 15 stays off the grid in modern California. David Turpin was an engineer. He worked for Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. He used a legal loophole by registering the home as a private school—the "Sandcastle Day School." He was the principal. He was the only teacher.
💡 You might also like: Wisconsin Judicial Elections 2025: Why This Race Broke Every Record
Basically, the state of California had no requirement to actually check on that school. As long as the paperwork was filed, the Turpins were left alone. It was a massive systemic blind spot that allowed the abuse to continue for decades.
The Sentencing: Where Are David and Louise Turpin Now?
In 2019, the legal hammer finally dropped. Both David and Louise pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts. The charges included torture, false imprisonment, and cruelty to a dependent adult.
The judge didn't hold back. He called their treatment of their children "selfish, cruel, and inhuman." They were both sentenced to 25 years to life.
Right now, as of 2026, they are still behind bars in separate California facilities. David is serving his time at the California State Prison, Corcoran. Louise is held at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. They won't even be eligible for a parole hearing until they’ve served at least 22 to 25 years. Most legal experts think they’ll never breathe free air again. Honestly? Good.
The Second Trauma: The System’s Massive Failure
This is the part of the David and Louise Turpin story that doesn't get enough play in the national media. You’d think that once they were rescued, life would finally get better.
📖 Related: Casey Ramirez: The Small Town Benefactor Who Smuggled 400 Pounds of Cocaine
It didn't. Not for everyone.
After the rescue, the younger siblings were placed into foster care. But instead of finding safety, several of them were placed with a family—the Olguins—who allegedly abused them all over again. Imagine surviving decades of torture from your parents, finally being "saved," and then being handed over to people who hit you, fondled you, and forced you to eat your own vomit.
In late 2024 and moving into 2025, the legal fallout from this has been massive. The foster father, Marcelino Olguin, was eventually sentenced to seven years in prison. But the Turpin siblings sued Riverside County and the private agency ChildNet, claiming they were "betrayed" by the very people who were paid to protect them.
The Struggle for the "Turpin Fund"
There was also a huge scandal involving the money. After the story broke, the public donated over $600,000 to help the siblings. But for years, the adult children couldn't even get access to the funds for basic needs like transportation or stable housing. Some were living in "crime-ridden neighborhoods" and "squalor," according to District Attorney Mike Hestrin.
It’s a grim reminder that "rescue" is just the start of a very long, very painful road.
👉 See also: Lake Nyos Cameroon 1986: What Really Happened During the Silent Killer’s Release
Where the Siblings Are in 2026
Despite the absolute hell they've endured, the Turpin children are remarkably resilient. You've probably seen Jordan Turpin on TikTok. She’s become a bit of a light in the dark, sharing her journey of "learning how to be a person." She’s living in her own apartment now. She’s dancing, she’s smiling, and she’s trying to catch up on all the life she missed.
Other siblings have graduated college. Some are working. They still call themselves "The J's" (since all their names start with J).
What’s most important to understand is that they aren't just "victims." They are survivors who are actively fighting for better laws. They want to make sure no other kid gets lost in the "private school" loophole or gets abused in the foster care system.
Actionable Takeaways from the Turpin Case
The David and Louise Turpin case isn't just a true crime story to be consumed for entertainment. It exposed massive cracks in our social safety net. If you want to actually do something or stay informed, here is where the focus needs to be:
- Advocate for Homeschool Oversight: Many states still have "dark" homeschooling laws. Supporting legislation that requires basic, non-invasive welfare checks for registered home schools can prevent another "Sandcastle Day School" situation.
- Support Foster Care Reform: The Turpin siblings' second trauma happened because the system didn't vet foster parents properly. Support organizations like the National Foster Parent Association that push for better standards.
- Watch for Red Flags: Malnutrition, extreme social isolation, and children who seem terrified of physical contact are signs. In the Turpin case, neighbors noticed things but didn't want to "interfere." Sometimes, interfering saves a life.
The Turpin family story is far from over. As the civil lawsuits against Riverside County move forward, we’re likely to see even more revelations about how the system failed. But for now, the siblings are finally the ones in control of their own narrative. And honestly? That's the only ending that matters.