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13 siblings rescued in California will live in separate homes

By Matt Naham, Rare.us
By Matt Naham, Rare.us

The Turpin children's story is one that has shocked and appalled people all across America and the world, but their story is far from over.

Before they were discovered, the 13 siblings, ranging in age from 2 to 29, were found living in squalor and malnourished and were chained and padlocked to beds.

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Although the children of David Turpin, 56, and Louise Turpin, 49, endured living in horrible conditions together, they will now recover from it apart.

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CBS News reported that the six youngest children, all minors, are going to be split up between two foster homes, while the seven adult children will stay in an assisted living facility.

Citing a source close to the investigation, CBS said that the children all have "diminished mental capacity."

Riverside District Attorney Mike Hestrin provided further details. He said the oldest child, a 29-year-old woman, weighed 82 pounds and the children "lack a basic knowledge of life" and "many of the children didn't know what a police officer was."

Taha Muntajibuddina, a former grade school classmate of the 29-year-old victim, recalled what life was like for her when she was a kid in a Jan. 18 Facebook post, according to The Associated Press.

Muntajibuddina said that she was bullied by classmates who had no idea what she was going through because of her appearance and hygiene.

“It is nothing but sobering to know that the person who sat across from you at the lunch table went home to squalor and filth while you went home to a warm meal and a bedtime story,” he wrote in the post.

Louise Turpin's sister, Teresa Robinette, went public with details of childhood sexual abuse by an unidentified male relative that she, her siblings and mother all suffered. She struggled through tears while discussing the alleged abuse on "Megyn Kelly Today."

Robinette said the man was a a close family member she and her family should have been able to trust and love.

“He abused my mother and sexually abused my mother, and then me and Louise, Elizabeth and a few our cousins in the family. That was a situation that was ongoing for me and my sisters,” she said. “My mother still took us around this person a lot — including Louise.”

Another one of Louise Turpin's siblings, 41-year-old Elizabeth Flores, spoke to "Good Morning America" about her experience with the family and had a message for her sister.

“I want her to know that she’s still my blood and I love her.” Flores said. She added that while Louise Turpin’s alleged actions hurt the family, Flores was praying for salvation.

To her nieces and nephews, Flores said that she wanted to contact them and let them know that she and other family members have been trying to make contact with them for several years. Flores previously said that the Turpins thwarted communication attempts from the rest of the family.

David Turpin's family also commented on the situation. His parents, James and Betty Turpin, told ABC News that they were "surprised and shocked" by the allegations. They said they had not seen the couple in at least four or five years, but spoke to their son once or twice a month.

The couple allegedly kept their 13 children in subhuman conditions. According to police, they were chained, beaten, only allowed to bathe twice a year and eat once a day, and not allowed to go outside. The children reportedly kept journals to cope with their captivity, which are now being reviewed by law enforcement officials.

The couple made their first court appearance Jan. 18. They face 92 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges, which include torture.

Cox Media Group

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