Perris, California: Parents of 13 children of age from 2 to 29 years were arrested on Sunday at their residence after the police found their malnourished children padlocked and chained inside a foul-smelling room.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department initiated the investigating after a 17-year-old girl managed to escape and informed the police through a cell phone she stole from their house on Sunday morning, police said.
Officers on reaching the scene found 12 children chained to the beds and charged their parents, David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49 with torture and child endangerment, quotes Mail Online.
According to the records, David Turpin home-schools his six children at their house. David Turpin’s parents, James and Betty Turpin, told ABC News that they were shocked to know about the news.
The children as well as adults found were all malnourished, dirty and have been hospitalized, police said. They were given food and drinks and will be provided Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services.
The couple was arrested and charged with nine counts of torture and 10 of child endangerment. Neither of them has a serious criminal record.