Three of the 13 Turpin siblings, who were starved, beaten, and chained to beds by their parents in a California 'house of horrors,' have spoken out about their harrowing childhood and their ongoing recovery. Julissa, Jolinda, and James Turpin, now adults, revealed in their first interview that they have forgiven their parents and are determined to build healthy lives, leaning on each other for support.
Escape from the 'House of Horrors'
The siblings were rescued in January 2018 after their sister Jordan, then 17, escaped through a window and called 911 on a mobile phone she had secretly smuggled out. She told dispatchers that her brother and sister were chained to a bed. Police arrived to find one child shackled to a bed, where they had been for weeks, and a home filled with the stench of human waste and rotting food.
The children, ranging in age from 2 to 29, were severely malnourished. Jennifer, 29, weighed just 5 stone 11 lbs after being allowed to eat only once a day. A 12-year-old had the arm circumference of a four-month-old baby. They were forbidden from showering more than once a year, had never received medical or dental care, and were locked in cages as punishment.
Parents Sentenced to Life
David and Louise Turpin were convicted on multiple felony charges, including torture, child cruelty, and false imprisonment. In 2019, they were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. During sentencing, one child read a victim impact statement saying, 'Sometimes I still have nightmares of my siblings being chained up or getting beaten. I love my parents and have forgiven them.' Another said, 'My parents took my whole life from me, but now I'm taking my life back.'
Further Abuse in Foster Care
After rescue, the six youngest Turpin children were placed with foster parents Marcelino and Rosa Olguin and their adult daughter Lennys. Tragically, they endured further abuse there. In 2024, Marcelino was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Rosa and Lennys received four years of probation. The siblings received a settlement from the agency that arranged the placement, though the agency denied liability.
Healing and Forgiveness
Despite the trauma, Julissa, Jolinda, and James have made remarkable progress. Julissa, 19, said, 'Why do people get to have a family, and we don't? We have each other, and that's the world, but we still want a mom. Something good needs to come from this.' Jolinda, 20, added, 'I've been discovering things about my brain that help me have clarity of who I am, my identity, and who I want to be. Realizing it's not my fault is a big thing.'
James, 24, said he always wished for normal parents but has learned to rely on alternative support: 'I have the internet, so it's okay.' The sisters now share matching tattoos with lyrics from Harry Styles' song 'Fine Line': 'We'll be fine, we'll be alright.' Jolinda explained, 'That song means we're gonna be okay, we're always gonna get through everything, and at the end of the day we're always gonna have each other.'
The siblings opened up in the ABC special 'The Turpins: A New House of Horror - A Diane Sawyer Special Event,' emphasizing that therapy has been vital to their healing.
