Turpins 3: 2 Monsters, 13 Victims (WARNING abuse and torture)

[BlackSheep]

3 hours ago, FutureA said:

Today the 2 Turds have all their rights to the minor kids, even if no contact. This can mean the parents can request things to DCF like: no haircuts, vaccines or traveling (in my state anyway).  I hope Termination of Parental Rights is swift and they can began to heal. The adult siblings will have to live in a facility and will need ongoing therapy. I hope the foster parents are allowed to take the minor siblings to visit them.

My gut reaction: David and Louise Turpin lost their right to have any input about how their children are cared for.

California law might allow them to say, e.g., "no haircuts", but the law won't allow them to demand withholding food, use of restraints, denial of bathroom privileges and showers, and no access to doctors/dentists. And for that, I'm thankful.

[FiddleDD]

I can only assume (and hope) that they will be getting excellent care because of the publicity. Everyone is watching to make sure these kids are taken care of. I hope that makes sure they end up somewhere good.

a relative of mine who has cancer was recently put in a “rehab” center and it turned out to be a glorified nursing home. Instead of helping them get their strength back, they were kept drugged up and in bed. They are now in a better facility, but the damage has been done. 

Ankther relative worked in a group home and I found the regulations interesting and worrisome. They were hired mostly to just be present, drive the people places ect. What I found concerning was that they were not allowed to interfere AT ALL, even if it was to the resident’s detriment. Example: They could not stop a resident from spending all their money, leading to them not being able to pay their rent, which could lead to the person being homeless. There were many other risky behaviors my relative had to sit back and watch. 

As much as we all want the Turpin adults to have the freedom they deserve, I hope they are also given the oversight needed while they are learning how to live, especially if any have permanent mental disabilities. 

 

My understanding about the the restraining order was that it was not only to keep M1 and M2 from contacting the children, but to keep the children from contacting them. This has been their normal for s very long time, and they may love their parents, but they need to be kept away for their own good so as to not be manipulated into not speaking up. 

[EmCatlyn]

7 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

Considering what the kid was going through, I can say I understand. 

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he did talk to himself and so forth, but I found the conversation the young woman reported having with him and her encounter with LT less believable, especially since she reported that the guy stopped coming to class and we had a different version from another classmate.  (I am also not sure that the other classmate was remembering the right guy--would LT and DT have allowed him to attend a potluck?  It's possible, if it was held as part of the class/during class time, but...)

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, EmCatlyn said:

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he did talk to himself and so forth, but I found the conversation the young woman reported having with him and her encounter with LT less believable, especially since she reported that the guy stopped coming to class and we had a different version from another classmate.  (I am also not sure that the other classmate was remembering the right guy--would LT and DT have allowed him to attend a potluck?  It's possible, if it was held as part of the class/during class time, but...)

Yes, there can be some confusion in remembering him. 

Saw a picture of one of the Monsters with a big smile on her face.  I guess as someone posted, she is getting her "chance at stardom". Ugh. 

[EmCatlyn]

5 hours ago, Howl said:

Yes, that kind of FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) violation will get any university/college employee fired in a heartbeat. 

That is why I am guessing it was either a hack, or someone who had a copy of the transcript for another reason (under normal circumstances I would assume a job application) leaked it, or he shared it himself.  

From what I saw of the document, it was not an "official transcript" but it could have been the kind that a student may download for himself.

[TXGirlInAMaterialWorld]

This case is just heartbreaking.  I see people on FB keep posting asking how the extended family could not have known how this was going on.  Obviously LT came from a very dysfunctional family- probably going back several generations.  That kind of toxicity leads to very fragmented and strange extended family relationships.  I find it horrifying that Louise's sister went on national TV to discuss details of the Turpin's sex life.   I can understand sharing those types of details with the prosecutors, but not why anyone would want to go on the morning talk shows and discuss it.  It seems like the whole lot doesn't know what are appropriate boundaries. 

I actually find it terrifying that that DT was getting ready to be transferred.  Yes, the Turpins would not be able to just leave the kids in the house or dump 12 bodies on the side of the road on the way to Oklahoma, but I can't help but speculate they may have had sinister plans.  It makes me think of a story I saw one time about a woman who drugged her two teenagers and then left the gas turned on to try to poison them with carbon monoxide. We may never know what DT and LT may have had planned for some of the older children. 

Not allowing your child to bathe as punishment is abusive because it is meant to dehumanize the child.  It's done to take away their dignity and make them feel worthless.  My parents did this to my sisters and I on a small scale and it was awful.  It started out as non-abusive like being grounded from using hairspray or curling irons but then morphed into more severe behaviors as we entered our teen years.  My brothers got the worst of it- being told they could not brush their teeth for days or shower for a week at a time.  It got so bad that one of my brothers gym teachers confronted my mom in the school parking lot and told her how cruel it was. 

Have any of the news stories confirmed that the youngest child is indeed biologically Louise's? I just look at the pictures and it seems that the number of kids is not adding up.  It could be just that they all appear so young and fragile in pictures, but it just doesn't make sense. 

[FecundFundieFundus]

2 hours ago, FiddleDD said:

I can only assume (and hope) that they will be getting excellent care because of the publicity. Everyone is watching to make sure these kids are taken care of. I hope that makes sure they end up somewhere good.

Sadly, once the public attention wanes they will most likely be on their own to sink or swim. Genie has been brought up previously by myself and I think someone else, and that's what happened to her. She had the best treatment while there was public flurry surrounding her and funds to study her, but when the money dried up, so had the public interest. My hope is that the relatives in this case will finally step up to the plate and help advocate for the children, and perhaps some of the kids will be able to advocate for themselves and their siblings later on down the line. 

[Granwych]

6 hours ago, HarryPotterFan said:

Can’t assisted living facilities vary a lot in quality?

Yes they can, and they do.  While in nursing school I worked as a cook/housekeeper/aide at two assisted living facilities.  They were called "rest homes" back then.  They were both privately owned by individuals, and the difference between the two was like night and day.  After working at the first one for almost 3 years, I had enough and quit.  The second one was so much better for staff and residents.  My mother lived in an assisted living place for 3 years, ( for-profit)  and they were wonderful.

I've worked at skilled care facilities too.  I am definitely not in favor of for-profits at SNF's.

[Fun Undies]

3 hours ago, FiddleDD said:

Ankther relative worked in a group home and I found the regulations interesting and worrisome. They were hired mostly to just be present, drive the people places ect. What I found concerning was that they were not allowed to interfere AT ALL, even if it was to the resident’s detriment. Example: They could not stop a resident from spending all their money, leading to them not being able to pay their rent, which could lead to the person being homeless. There were many other risky behaviors my relative had to sit back and watch. 

The way i was trained for it just three years ago, PCA's/resident staff are explained the state laws which includes a focus on "dignity".  We were shown a video of an example where a resident wanted to spend all his designated spending money on say, buying five of the same items in one day and then nothing would be left for the rest of the month for other shopping trips (rent and grocery money already set aside by a resident manager).  Legally we had to allow them, because that was allowing them a choice, even if we disagreed with that choice.

Not suggesting that there wasn' something else going on in your case. But unfortunately staff are sometimes just as frustrated with the laws as the consumers families :/

Hopefully that made sense, I'm heading out the door, but I can check FJ later if I need to clarify

[Carol]

I was just thinking about how special it must feel to them to have warm/hot running water for a shower.  I think water can be soothing so I hope they get plenty of it if they like it.  They can now walk around freely within the confines of their own personal space or a whole house/facility.  They have the freedom to speak in more than a whisper, to eat a reasonable amount of food when hungry.  They sleep in beds now, not on top of filthy mattresses.  They have clean sheets and blankets to keep them warm.  I've always taken all these things for granted so it must be a huge, but welcome, transition for them.

I wanted to know what people thought about having the younger children in foster care with a family with their own kids.  Yes?  No?  Or, ideally, should they be in a home where they are the only children so they get  lots of attention?  I'm just looking for opinions because I really don't know enough to form one.

I hope these kids/adults get movies and popcorn at least every Friday night.  It was a routine in our home and I always looked forward to it.

[Anonymousguest]

@Carol regarding having other children in the home being a good thing or not, it really depends on the needs of the children. I don't know about CA, but in my state you can have a max of 7 children in the home. And the reality is many foster homes are maxed out. The other reality is that many homes willing to take a sibling group are in homes who already have a sibling group, either of their own children or another foster group.

I'm curious if they will start school right away. That alone would be traumatizing for kids who have been so isolated, without the abuse and trauma they have already experienced- and I include being taken away from their parents and siblings in that. 

[FecundFundieFundus]

51 minutes ago, Carol said:

I wanted to know what people thought about having the younger children in foster care with a family with their own kids.  Yes?  No?  Or, ideally, should they be in a home where they are the only children so they get  lots of attention?  I'm just looking for opinions because I really don't know enough to form one.

I'm personally waiting until my kid/s are older. My reasoning is if I ended up with a foster child who had high needs, I might end up needing to prioritize the time and attention between children. It could still happen with just biological children too, but IMHO because foster children have been through at least one traumatic event (being taken from their families of origin and sent to strangers), it's more likely that they will need a lot of loving and dedicated parenting. Also I worry that smaller children will grow attached to their foster siblings and having them move back home would be extremely painful for them. 
Disclaimer: I've never been a foster parent, just read some and thought a lot about it. 

[FundieFarmer]

My guess is that the facility didn’t have 7 beds open, but shifted patients or discharged as possible to make room. That’s what we probably would’ve tried to do to preserve the psychological health of the children as much as possible.

[anniebgood]

This is from the USA Today's report on the court appearance yesterday"

Quote

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — A pair of Southern California parents who are accused of starving, chaining and abusing their 13 children for years were ordered not to attempt to communicate with the children for the next three years.

I don't think they will be able to ask social services for anything regarding the children. The article also says they cannot have firearms or be within 100 yards of them except in court. That's a pretty standard ruling for parties that know each other. 

[Elegant Mess]

According to this article in People, the kids have had to be taught how to brush their teeth.

The article also says that several dentists have offered up their services for free.

http://people.com/crime/turpin-siblings-house-of-horrors-learn-brush-teeth/

[BlackSheep]

Quote (I’m on mobile) from https://www.google.com/amp/people.com/crime/turpin-siblings-house-of-horrors-learn-brush-teeth/amp/

Some of the siblings who were found in a California house of horrors where they’d allegedly been abused by their parents have since had to be taught how to brush their teeth, one local leader familiar with the case tells PEOPLE.

“I don’t think the kids even knew what a toothbrush was,” says Bobby Spiegel, president and CEO of the Corona Chamber of Commerce. “My understanding is the nurses had to teach the kids how to brush their teeth.”

End quote.

He says “my understanding is”, so that can’t be taken as fact. If it’s true, what was the state of their dental health? Poor nutrition, no dental visits ever, and possibly no tooth brushing. On top of all the adjustments that the children/adult children are going through, a visit to a dentist to have cavities filled could be terrifying. Dental work makes typical socialized people tense or downright fearful.

2 minutes ago, Elegant Mess said:

The article also says that several dentists have offered up their services for free.

That’s very good news!

[EmCatlyn]

David Turpin’s brother says he wants to take care of (adopt) the kids.

Quote

. Dr. Turpin, [is] the president of Valor Christian College in Ohio, a fiery megachurch preacher and faith healer...  [He is also] the author of a book that recommends 21 days of prayer and fasting to “help bring a person to a place of personal freedom." 

Meanwhile, the other side of the family (Louise’s sister)

Quote

Teresa Robinette, says the children should be cared for by her side of the family.

“If these children go into foster care, that's the worst case scenario,” she told Inside Edition. “We would like to get family members of ours together to make sure that each one of these kids is placed with a blood family member. That way even if they are scattered they would still be with our family and they would still have a connection for life.”

http://www.insideedition.com/turpin-house-horrors-uncle-says-he-wants-care-children-40105

Frankly,  I hope neither side of the family gets the kids.  And I hope their stated desire to adopt the kids will not slow down any arrangements that might be better for them.

Neither the Turpin nor the Robinette extended family seems equipped to deal with the problems these kids will face, and I have to wonder if they would really care much about the kids if they weren’t in the headlines. 

[Bretta]

The article above about the Corona chamber of commerce people helping them, it's touching actually. To see all the love that people in the community have for these children, getting them clothes and needed items... Strangers are caring for these kids a million times better than their narcissistic "parents" ever have.

To be a child growing up in an environment where you are not loved, but instead, you're bullied and treated worse than dirt - that does something to a child's self-esteem. Those wounds inflicted for so long will take a lifetime to heal. I hope they get plenty of love and care, hugs if they need them, and stability too.

I see cases of abuse much lesser than this and it's already so terrible. For someone like me... I don't even know what to say or how to comprehend it. 

[Tim-Tom Biblethumper]

9 hours ago, Granwych said:

My mother lived in an assisted living place for 3 years, ( for-profit)  and they were wonderful.

I've worked at skilled care facilities too.  I am definitely not in favor of for-profits at SNF's.

@Granwych  I'm likely going to have to educate myself in these matters in the not too distant future.  The end of your post confused me.  Is for-profit good or bad?  

On second read, I may have misinterpreted....  ALF for profit = GOOD and SNF for profit = BAD?

[lilith]

3 hours ago, Bretta said:

The article above about the Corona chamber of commerce people helping them, it's touching actually. To see all the love that people in the community have for these children, getting them clothes and needed items... Strangers are caring for these kids a million times better than their narcissistic "parents" ever have.

To be a child growing up in an environment where you are not loved, but instead, you're bullied and treated worse than dirt - that does something to a child's self-esteem. Those wounds inflicted for so long will take a lifetime to heal. I hope they get plenty of love and care, hugs if they need them, and stability too.

I see cases of abuse much lesser than this and it's already so terrible. For someone like me... I don't even know what to say or how to comprehend it. 

I’m glad people are donating what they need, but the truth is, it’s an easy feel good gesture.

What is really important is that the support and help continues in the coming years, long after the headlines fade. And that there is help available for abused children who don’t make the headlines cause they aren’t part of a matched set of 13 with crazy photos in the media.

[Rosalie]

I have read all the threads about this case, and my heart bleeds. I had to take long breaks from reading, as I got so upset, sad and angry.

I hope all of the kids gets the psychological help they need in the years to come, as most of them probably will develop PTSD when the normality hits them.

I do not think they can start regular school anytime soon. But as soon as they are fit for it, they should get lessons individually or in very small groups. Some of them do probably have developed brain damage due to the starvation, but if they were fed desent as babies/toddlers, there might not be (physical) longterm damage to the brain. If no severe brain damage, I think most of them may in time, be able to live good lives, and even both care and provide for themselves.

[EyesOpen]

5 hours ago, EmCatlyn said:

David Turpin’s brother says he wants to take care of (adopt) the kids.

Meanwhile, the other side of the family (Louise’s sister)

http://www.insideedition.com/turpin-house-horrors-uncle-says-he-wants-care-children-40105

Frankly,  I hope neither side of the family gets the kids.  And I hope their stated desire to adopt the kids will not slow down any arrangements that might be better for them.

Neither the Turpin nor the Robinette extended family seems equipped to deal with the problems these kids will face, and I have to wonder if they would really care much about the kids if they weren’t in the headlines. 

A faith healer??? No no no... sorry but these monsters came from crazy and their kids don’t need to be anywhere near the roots! Omg

[upkacrane]

6 hours ago, EmCatlyn said:

“We would like to get family members of ours together to make sure that each one of these kids is placed with a blood family member."

Yeah, 'cause being a blood family member is a fucking guarantee they won't abuse you!

For fuck's sake, who abused those children in the first place?

[FundieFarmer]

@Granwych  I'm likely going to have to educate myself in these matters in the not too distant future.  The end of your post confused me.  Is for-profit good or bad?  

On second read, I may have misinterpreted....  ALF for profit = GOOD and SNF for profit = BAD?

Well, in my experience you can find trouble anywhere in the health care system, but for-profit orgs tend to be worse about it. There are 4 different types of health care orgs:
-Government (largest is VA)
-For-profit
-Community non-profit
-Faith-based non-profit

I’ve worked with community non-profit and religious orgs, and there are very different motivations than there are in for-profit organizations. I would seek out a care facility associated with a larger non-profit system if possible. I may be able to give you some recommendations depending on where you are, if you’d like.

[Tim-Tom Biblethumper]

Thanks @FundieFarmer    We're not there yet, but when the time comes I'd appreciate any and all input.  I'm pretty much alone in all this.
Oh, I'm in FL (Tampa Bay Area)