Turpins - 13 shackled kids

[FecundFundieFundus]

5 minutes ago, Carm_88 said:

 

The grandmother may be in some kind of shock. However, you think that she would automatically side with the kids. Why would they lie about that? Why would the police lie about it? That's nonsense. 

Denial. The family members who are slowly coming to hint that maybe I was abused (emotional, mental, verbal, never physical therefore never "real") have taken two decades to do so. My grandmother will only say "it takes two" and "I don't want to get involved." No one wants to admit they noticed something messed up and didn't step in. They can't make eye contact with me while saying it, though. 

Some of the reports include allusions to one of the parents growing up with abuse, so it could be she's also an abuser. 

[JesusPony]

12 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

Something had to set the parents from odd to abusive. I can't imagine The Bates or The Duggars doing something like this. This went beyond religious fervor to insanity. 

To be honest, I feel like only the presence of television cameras prevented worse abuse (than what we know happened and that they tried to hide) for Duggar kids.

[Anonymousguest]

13 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

Something had to set the parents from odd to abusive. I can't imagine The Bates or The Duggars doing something like this. This went beyond religious fervor to insanity. 

I agree, and I strongly disagree with the idea that the Jrods could go this way. Besides the obvious similarity of 13 kids who may be underfed and homeschooled, they have nothing in common. The Rods are the least likely type of family to keep something like that hidden. They drive all over the country, Jill works hard to keep them in the limelight through social media, she prances around town with their name and number of children on the side of their car, she tells everyone with in hearing distance that she has xx number of children. She actively promotes and advertises her teen daughter for  marriage. They're like the exact opposite of a sequestered homeschool family keeping their kids hidden at home forever. 

[libgirl2]

There was a family several years ago that had a bunch of children. The father actually fathered some of them with his daughters. They kept to themselves, Bible studying etc.... The Wessons. The father ended up killing many family members. 

[nausicaa]

3 hours ago, FecundFundieFundus said:

According to the FBI there are usually around forty-ish active serial killers in America at any given time. I wonder how many Turpins and Rodrigues' there are. Especially when they limit contact with the outside world and have abused their children into submissiveness. 

I think about this whenever an Elizabeth Fritzl type case gets exposed. How many people are currently living in cages or chained up in basements across the country? Maybe even in my town? It's horrifying to think about. 

[EmmieJ]

I hope those young people and children get lots of help for years to come, and can go on to lead happier lives.  Pure speculation, but I wonder if finances weren't what pushed them from merely hugely controlling parents into complete monsters.  

That grandma is a real bitch.  

[nausicaa]

2 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

Not to use stereotyping or anything (but I will), but the parents are both from WVA.  30 years ago it would not have been odd or unusual for 24 yer old to marry a 16 year old in WVA 

Even now not too many  people would think it odd. Especially if they were both raised conservative/fundie-lite and just went seriously wackalooney as time went on

 

I don't know. I have family in West Virginia, and getting married at 16 isn't the norm, especially to a 23 year old. It isn't as isolated as it's made out to be. And none of my relatives married that young even 30 years ago (which would be 1988, not that long ago). Any of my aunts would have had a fit if their daughters had done that. I'm sure it happened in some families, but I wouldn't say it was considered normal within the mainstream.

However, I can't really speak to norms within very conservative religious circles there, all of my relatives are fairly mainstream Catholics.

I am interested in what part of WV they are from. That might tell me a lot.

[nausicaa]

1 hour ago, seattlechic said:

My point exactly friend!!! If you even suspect something ain't right with your nieces/nephews/grandkids, you DO SOMETHING.

That's what I can't get over. There were obviously signs that things weren't right even if you don't know about the shackles. I understand that you can't control someone else's parenting, but people either had to know something was wrong or they are messed up and abusive themselves.

The Turpins had seven adult children, several well into adulthood. No one thought it odd that they couldn't go out on their own, no one had a job or went to college, they wore matching clothes with their preschool siblings, and had to walk in a line behind their mom with the mannerisms and bearing of elementary school aged kids? No one thought to intervene or ask the parents what was up or try and ask the adult children how they felt about it all?

 

[purplepeony]

This story is very shocking and it does make you question how people didn’t realise what was going on. However, although I don’t know details about where they live, when I consider my neighbours I only know one of them. I wouldn’t have a clue who lived in nearby houses even though we are close together and would not be able to know if abuse was going on behind closed doors . The grandparents hadn’t seen them in some years and I don’t know if they had other family. Sadly it can be easy to become very isolated. I think homeschooling in all countries should be subject to some basic checks for the sake of the children.

[luv2laugh]

It seems like the father thrived off of being the patriarch in a twisted, darker type of Maxwellian way. The family itself may have functioned as a cult on its own. I’m sure the kidults thought they were being treated unfairly but the Stockholm Syndrome and brainwash had to be extreme. I’m sickened to think what could have happened that finally made the 17 yr old break?

Can you imagine, an isolated emotionally stunted brainwashed girl desperately breaking away to call 911 for help from the only thing you have EVER known? This would have been like Sarah Maxwell calling the cops on Steve and Teri (IF they were doing something similar)! I can't fathom the thought of Sarah Maxwell ever calling the cops on her parents since Steve Maxwell is God and what he says, goes. It must have been something very bad!

[JesusPony]

A few new details here, I think: https://www.yahoo.com/news/parents-arrested-kids-chained-calif-house-horrors-073134422.html

 

Quote

 The mother of 13 malnourished children and young adults who were held in filthy conditions, some chained to furniture, was "perplexed" when deputies arrived at the family's Southern California home, a sheriff's official said Tuesday.

The status of the adult children:

Quote

The seven adult children were being cared for at Corona Regional Medical Center, said CEO Mark Uffer. He described them as small and clearly malnourished. They were being fed and were listed in stable condition.

"They're very friendly," he said. "They're very cooperative, and I believe they are hopeful that life will get better for them."

 

[Queen Of Hearts]

4 minutes ago, nausicaa said:

I don't know. I have family in West Virginia, and getting married at 16 isn't the norm, especially to a 23 year old, and none of my relatives married that young even 30 years ago (which would be 1988, not that long ago). Any of my aunts would have had a fit if their daughters had done that. I'm sure it happened, but I wouldn't say it wasn't considered as negative or outside the mainstream.

I can't really speak to norms within very conservative religious circles there, all of my relatives are fairly mainstream Catholics.

I am interested in what part of WV they are from. That might help tell me a lot.

I am currently reading the book 'Hillbilly Elegy' at the moment and it is a fascinating look at life in Appalachia.  The author (who is younger than I) had a grandmother who was married at 14 and his mother was married around age 17, I think.  I think young marriages are likely more common - even today - in regions where there isn't a lot of future besides low-level jobs and raising families.  I'm thankful where I live there is a big focus on college but I know I could have been raised a 2-hour drive away in several different directions and had my life turn out very differently.

[seattlechic]

She was PERPLEXED???? OMG bit... you did not. I can't deal with this excuse of a human being. Really. 

[quiversR4hunting]

I read a CNN article and I thought it was interesting that in 2011 the parents filed bankruptcy and that is when they registered the house as the private school. The bankruptcy lawyer also implied they once lived in Texas. 

Quote

The Turpins moved into the home in Perris, southeast of Los Angeles, in 2010, public records show.

The next year, they filed for bankruptcy in California, according to court records.

Ivan Trahan, an attorney who represented the couple at their bankruptcy hearing, told CNN that "there was nothing out of ordinary" about them in 2011. They "spoke lovingly of their children and even showed me their photos from Disneyland," he said.

<snipped>

The documents listed debts of about $240,000, which included mostly credit cards and a foreclosed farm in Rio Vista, Texas, valued at $40,000.

So I wonder, did they live in Texas prior to 2010? If so, did they homeschool down there or did the kids go to school?

I also find it strange the grandma didn't find it weird not to talk to the children when she talked to the parents. My kids often want to talk to family members calling. especially the younger ones.

This entire situation is very sad and horrible.

[luv2laugh]

13 minutes ago, quiversR4hunting said:

So I wonder, did they live in Texas prior to 2010? If so, did they homeschool down there or did the kids go to school?

I read they had a foreclosed farm in Texas valued at 40K. I'm assuming these kids have been homeschooled their entire lives. The articles describe the homeschool as very strict with the kids having goals of memorizing the entire Bible.

This entire situation reminds me of a man that kept 3 girls hostage in his home for a decade and no one knew about it until one of them cried for help from a window.

I read an article that mentioned Louise marrying David Turpin when he was 30 and she was 22 but it could be inaccurately reported.

I can't imagine a near 30 year old and kidults in their 20s being under such control but when I do, my mind thinks about the Maxwells and Arndts who obviously, aren't as evil nor criminal.

Yeah, Louise Turpin was "perplexed" alright when the cops showed up since she had trained these kids to be so broken and beaten that she thought they had been trained to see abuse as the norm. She never thought one would have the guts to run. My heart breaks because again, something must have been very bad for the 17 year old to call for help against her patriarch. Again, this would be someone like Sarah Maxwell calling the cops on Steve. I couldn't imagine it.

[FoodieNotFundie]

51 minutes ago, nausicaa said:

I don't know. I have family in West Virginia, and getting married at 16 isn't the norm, especially to a 23 year old. It isn't as isolated as it's made out to be. And none of my relatives married that young even 30 years ago (which would be 1988, not that long ago). Any of my aunts would have had a fit if their daughters had done that. I'm sure it happened in some families, but I wouldn't say it was considered normal within the mainstream.

However, I can't really speak to norms within very conservative religious circles there, all of my relatives are fairly mainstream Catholics.

I am interested in what part of WV they are from. That might tell me a lot.

According to the public records I found on Ancestry.com, they're from Princeton, WV, but their marriage license was filed in Pearisberg, VA. These towns are all in the southeast WV/southwest(ish) VA area, close to Blacksburg (Virginia Tech).

Edited to remove bit about posting screenshot from Ancestry.com. I'm a goodie-two-shoes and don't know anything about the law, so I'd rather not as a "just in case" given the open investigation. HOWEVER, it's very easy to find yourself. DM me if you want to learn how to snoop like a pro. 

[quiversR4hunting]

1 minute ago, luv2laugh said:

I read they had a foreclosed farm in Texas valued at 40K.

I do too. In my experience, most people don't have property in another state without previously living in it or using it as vacation. Since they have a very large family I am guessing they didn't own vacation property. Since they moved to Perris (which by the way is very close to Hemet) in 2010 and in 2011 they have a Texas farm in foreclosure, it makes me think they left Texas, bought the place in Perris, let the Texas place go into foreclosure and then filed bankruptcy.

[Bad Wolf]

"They are hopeful that things will get better for them." That just breaks my heart. I remember from our local case, that they had to be really careful with nutrition , because their digestive systems couldn't handle too much food at one time.

[HarleyQuinn]

I saw an article mention the 17 year old escaped through a window. Did the parents even notice one was missing before the police arrived? 

[onekidanddone]

2 hours ago, FunFunFundie said:

"“We don’t believe anything until we find definite proof,” Betty Turpin, 81, told TIME on Tuesday. “It’s just a one-sided story. You can’t always go with that.”"

Fuck you, Betty Turpin. I get it that you don't want to see accusations about your son, but the "one-sided story" is coming from your GRANDCHILDREN.  

One Kid's best buddy since they were two was adopted out of foster care.  The little girl's own grandmother spoke in family court on the kids's behalf. The grandmother said if the little girl and her sister were returned to their bio dad he would eventually kill them.

Bio dad's parental rights were terminated and the two sisters were adopted by their foster parents, and have been living in a warm and loving home for over 12 years now. The grandmother tossed her own son under the bus in order to save her granddaughters. 

There is much evil in the world. There is also goodness.  I don't pray, but I hope in my heart of hearts these 13 can heal.  It is goign to be a long and difficult road.

[Rachel333]

Louise's sister says in an interview with the Daily Mail that she wasn't allowed to see the children. 

Also, WTF:

Quote

A neighbor who saw four of the children less than two months ago described them as 'very thin and very albino.'  

Housewife Wendy Martinez, 41, who lives in a home behind the single-story ranch-style property, told DailyMail.com she saw four of the children kneeling in the front yard late at night at the end of October.

She said the quartet looked emaciated and pale, and appeared to have been instructed not to respond when she tried to say hello to them.

'It was about 9pm at night and we came around right here and at the gate, we saw four children inside,' Martinez said.

'They were on their knees, four little kids, and they were just rolling on the grass. It was odd at that time of night.

 

[luv2laugh]

15 minutes ago, Rachel333 said:

Louise's sister says in an interview with the Daily Mail that she wasn't allowed to see the children. 

Also, WTF:

 

The sister is a mom of 7 and says "something didn't seem right about her behavior and her parenting". Well then why didn't you call someone to do a well check?! The grandparents and sister all are saying these things yet did nothing to help. In my opinion, they just might as well be considered complicit. They could have stopped the abuse.

Quote

 

Elizabeth Jane Flores, 41, from Cleveland, Tennessee, told DailyMailTV she had not seen Louise Anna Turpin in 19 years, and while she still kept in touch with her sister by telephone, Turpin refused to invite her over to her home and never let her speak to her nieces and nephews.

'Something didn't seem right about her parenting but never would I have expected it to be like this,' Flores told DailyMailTV. 

'We have been so worried about them because it's been so strange but there was nothing we could do. They wouldn't let anyone visit and we didn't know their address. I haven't seen her in 19 years. We would talk on the phone from time to time, but every time I would ask to talk to her kids, she wouldn't let me. 

Flores, a mother of seven, says their parents had even flown out to visit the family but Turpin would not give them an address. 

'She never let us talk to her kids. She wouldn't even accept my Facebook request. We all wondered what was going on. My parents booked several flights to go see them but when they got there they wouldn't tell them where to go and my parents left crying every time. They died before they got to see them again. It's just heartbreaking and I'm so embarrassed about all of this.' 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5275295/Louise-Anna-Turpins-sister-not-allowed-visit-home.html#ixzz54Nm0plrP 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

She didn't have to know the address because if she notified the police and asked for a welfare check, they probably could have traced the phone number. Also, they could have easily searched their names and found property documents detailing where they live. IMO, that's not a good excuse to not have done anything. I'd have more respect for the family if they admitted they had no idea this went on and were sorry they didn't do something to find out and stop it.

[Carol]

I read yesterday that the mother came from an abusive home and that food was regularly withheld from her.  This coupled with a father who was raised by grandma Turpen who has remarked that she saw nothing odd...my god almighty...those kids didn't stand a chance. 

[faraway]

I have so much respect for the girl who escaped and alarmed the authorities. It takes so much courage to do this after all this isolation and abuse, she's my hero! 

[pook]

I'm late to the party, work and all.  Wowzers!  Those poor poor offspring because the fact is many of them were not children.  My heart goes out to all of them, across the age spectrum, for the trauma, abuse, and neglect they will have to overcome.  I heard about this for the first time on my way to work this morning and in the hustle and bustle of trying to board the train, before the doors closed in my face, didn't think much about it until I got to work, logged on to FJ (which is my go-to news source) and saw the pictures.  Jesus Murphy on a wheat thin!  As a Certified Fundie Observer (TM) who majored in toxic belief systems and minored in rescue ferret training, while studying at my coffee table, in the School of Free Jinger's online program, I am simply floored!  Also there is glass all over the place from my broken fundometer and fuck the grandmother!