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David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise Turpin, 50, agreed to the
long prison terms as part of an agreement with Riverside County
prosecutors that saw them plead guilty in February to torture,
child abuse and false imprisonment charges.
The plea deal, which calls for additional charges against both
spouses to be dropped, means they will spend the rest of their
lives in prison unless granted parole after a mininum of 25
years behind bars.
The sentencing marks the culmination of a criminal case that has
convulsed the community of Perris, California, some 70 miles
(113 km) east of Los Angeles, since an emaciated 17-year-old
girl climbed out of a window of the family's home and called
911.
Deputies who raided the residence found the girl’s 12 brothers
and sisters, ranging in age from 2 to 29, trapped inside the
darkened, foul-smelling house, some of them chained to beds.
The siblings, found to be suffering from malnourishment, muscle
wasting, stunted growth and other signs of severe abuse, were
taken into protective custody, and the parents were arrested.
Prosecutors said the victims had been denied proper nutrition,
basic hygiene and medical care and were harshly punished for
perceived infractions such as wasting water by washing their
hands above the wrist.
The couple also were accused of taunting their children with
pies and other food that they were forbidden to eat.
David Turpin’s parents, James and Betty Turpin of West Virginia,
have said their son and daughter-in-law were a deeply religious
couple who home-schooled their children and required them to
memorize Bible scripture.
The children, whose ages now range from 3 to 30, are in the care
of child and adult protection agencies.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Tom Brown)
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