The Family Next Door

by John Glatt

  * * *

  Two hours later, David and Louise Turpin were arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice. The two defendants were led through a tunnel from the Robert Presley Detention Center, where they had been held since their arrest, into the court across the road. They were already shackled, waist and wrist, at the defense table, when reporters and photographers were allowed in. The defendants both wore black blazers provided by the public defender’s office. David, unshaven with shoulder-length dyed blond hair, wore a purple shirt, the heavy chain tightly wound across his paunch.

  Each had their own defense team. David was being represented by public defenders David Macher and Allison Lowe, Louise by Jeff Moore of Riverside-based Blumenthal Law Offices. As a public defender, Macher could represent David, but it would be a conflict of interest if his office also represented Louise, so private attorney Jeff Moore would do so. During the seven-minute arraignment, they sat on either side of their lawyers, briefly glancing at each other. To their right sat Riverside County deputy DA Kevin Beecham, who would be the lead prosecutor in the case.

  Prior to the arraignment, none of the defense lawyers had met their clients, and as Jeff Moore spoke to Louise at the defense table, she smiled at him. Before the proceedings, Macher asked his new client if his name was spelled correctly on the voluminous charge sheets.

  “I don’t have my reading glasses with me,” David muttered, turning toward Louise and shrugging.

  Judge Michael B. Donner entered the courtroom to begin the arraignment.

  Macher asked the judge to ban all film or electronic coverage of the proceedings, saying it would harm his client. The prosecutor had no objection, but Judge Donner denied the motion.

  “I am told the coverage of this case literally spans the globe,” explained the judge, “and that photographs, people’s comments, editorials, et cetera, have been out there in the news for a very long time. So I can’t find that the electronic coverage of the arraignment today will be as prejudicial as suggested by the defense.”

  After the prosecution told the judge that it had submitted initial discovery—police records and the siblings’ medical records—to the defense, both defense teams confirmed that they had advised their clients of their constitutional rights, asking the court to waive reading of the complaint and enter pleas of not guilty to all seventy-five counts.

  The only time the Turpins spoke was to quietly answer “Yes,” when Judge Donner asked them if they also waived a speedy preliminary hearing within ten days.

  He then continued bail at $12 million each, setting the next hearing for February 23.

  Outside the courtroom, Macher conceded that defending David Turpin was going to be a challenge.

  “We’re going to provide a vigorous defense,” he declared. “The case will be tried in court, not in the media.”

  Louise’s attorney, Jeff Moore, was equally aware of the high stakes of the case.

  “It doesn’t get more serious,” he said, “in terms of severity of the conduct being alleged and also the exposure in prison.”

  * * *

  A few hours after the arraignment, Louise’s half sister McCeary Lee, the daughter of Phyllis and David Lee, and also a former U.S. Marine in Guam, posted an emotional appeal on Facebook to leave her family alone. She wrote that she had not intended to post anything about “this mess,” but felt compelled to after the accusations that the family must have known what was going on and had ignored it.

  “Yes, we knew David and Louise were a bit odd,” she wrote, “but there was no way in hell we knew they were torturing our nieces and nephews. Please leave the kids and us alone. We’re reeling from the news just like everyone else and what the kids are going through is unspeakable … Additionally, we know just about as much as everyone else does. Asking us questions won’t get you many answers.”

  23

  “WE STAND UNITED WITH THE TURPIN CHILDREN”

  At 160 Muir Woods Road, a Christmas star still hung in the window, and Louise’s prized statue of a hissing serpent remained outside the front door. All day long, people arrived at the Turpin house, leaving candles, stuffed animals, flowers, balloons, and heartfelt notes of love and support for the Turpin siblings.

  “The kids are so loved by so many people,” read one note. “They will go on to do wonderful and great things.”

  “God bless,” read another. “I pray for nothing but joy for all of you. You’re in our thoughts.”

  “WE STAND UNITED WITH THE TURPIN CHILDREN,” declared a third.

  Three-year-old Riley Unger, who lives a few doors away, left two of her own teddy bears on their porch for children she had never met.

  Neighbor Wendy Martinez told The Press-Enterprise, “For me, it’s to show a little light in a dark tunnel.”

  Money was still pouring into the Corona Chamber of Commerce and the Riverside University Health System Medical Center from all over the world, with some donations as high as $10,000.

  “Our phones started ringing almost immediately,” said executive director Erin Phillips, “with calls from private individuals and organizations wanting to know how they can help. We recognize financial gifts will not eliminate their trauma, but additional resources will be extremely important in helping these victims adjust over time.”

  The Chamber of Commerce had now received $65,000, and the Riverside University Health System, where the younger siblings were being treated, had collected almost $200,000.

  “Someone at the hospital mentioned how good it would be for educational purposes for them to have an iPad,” said Corona Chamber president Bobby Spiegel. “So I went to my Rotary Club and said, ‘Does anyone know anyone in the computer business?’ Then one lady says, ‘I’ll donate one.’ And in less than a minute, thirteen people’s hands went up to buy an iPad.”

  Several days after the Chamber of Commerce fund was launched, a homeless man approached Spiegel outside his office.

  “He reaches into his pocket,” said Spiegel, “and pulls out two dollars and thirty-eight cents, probably everything he had. And he says, ‘I want you to tell the kids that the world is watching and they love them.’ And I still tear up over it, because that is the good that has come.”

  Although he had never met the seven Turpin adults, Spiegel received regular reports on their progress at Corona Regional Medical Center. He had also received many offers of free dental care for life for the children.

  “The boys got haircuts for the first time,” he said. “They had long, long hair … Captain Kangaroo is what the dad looks like.”

  Joshua and Jonathan donated their hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that make wigs for cancer victims.

  * * *

  The medical team treating the seven Turpin adults at Corona Regional Medical Center soon found themselves becoming personally involved with their patients. They empathized with the older siblings and were horrified to see firsthand what they had suffered. Hospital CEO Mark Uffer told ABC News of one twenty-four-year-old nurse, the same as age as Jessica Turpin, who was shocked to see her emaciated body.

  “It becomes very personal to you,” explained Uffer. “And it hurts to see what [one] human being can do to another human being. So it does stay with you.”

  Everyone on the team treating the older siblings had been affected, with many reduced to tears.

  “I don’t think there’s any of us,” he said, “that are involved or have spoken to them or interacted with them that slept much in the last week, because you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about them.”

  All the physicians treating the Turpins had been carefully chosen to develop a bond and a trust with them to help them heal physically and mentally.

  “We are the first stage of their introduction to the outside world,” explained their primary physician, Dr. Fari Kamalpour.

  * * *

  Child trauma expert Allison Davis Maxon agreed that the Turpin siblings would need ongoing love and support from trusted people who care abou
t them in order to help them overcome the relational trauma and intense deprivation they had suffered.

  “Healing takes time and is a process,” she said. “You can’t go back and erase early deprivation, neglect, and trauma. We’re wired from the moment we enter the world to get our needs met through human connection. And early deprivation starves all aspects of our social and emotional development, especially impacting brain development. Think about how we learn language—we learn that through relationships; we don’t learn that in isolation.

  “When children, especially at early ages, experience severe deprivation, they don’t learn this ‘dance of attachment.’ They may struggle to learn how to communicate their needs and/or feel valuable enough to get emotionally close to others. So what you’ll see is a social, emotional awkwardness or a stuntedness. They may struggle in being able to read and attune with what other people are feeling, being in awareness of what they themselves are feeling, and why they are feeling it. Being able to communicate their emotional and attachment needs, thoughts, and feelings to other people requires basic trust, self-awareness, and a willingness to take a risk.”

  The process of treating the siblings would be a long one, Maxon said, as their physiological systems and development had not progressed in a normal way.

  “Childhood development occurs sequentially,” she explained. “Children first learn to sit up, then crawl, then stand, then walk, and then run. Our social-emotional skills are similar in that children first learn to make sounds, then words, then string words into sentences, then identify what they need or what they are feeling. And then they communicate what they are feeling to people they trust.

  “Our brains and bodies are built to develop and learn like that. So when windows of opportunity diminish or close, the next part of what we need to learn can’t sit on top of a particular skill set or competency, because we were deprived of the experiences needed to master or learn those skills. So children who have experienced extreme and chronic deprivation can be fifteen years old or twenty years old and in some ways emotionally and socially function like they’re three or five or eight years old. It’s not something you can just bounce back from.”

  * * *

  On Friday, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office announced that it would seek a criminal protective order barring David and Louise Turpin from any further contact with their children. This would prevent the Turpins from communicating with their children to try to pressure them in any way before the trial.

  That night, the City of Perris held a neighborhood watch meeting to help residents cope with the Turpin case. More than fifty residents gathered in Monument Park, just a short walk away from the now-notorious Turpin house.

  “We tried not to let that get out publicly,” said Mayor Vargas, “because we wanted to focus just on the community members of that neighborhood. But the press was there. They got hold of it right away.”

  At the meeting, Perris city officials assured residents that although it was an appalling situation, they would have to move on.

  “Like you,” said city manager Richard Belmudez, “we know that these two individuals don’t define the 74,998 individuals who live in this community.”

  Captain Greg Fellows of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department urged residents to volunteer for community service to ensure this never happens again.

  “You would be surprised,” said Fellows, “that the extra eyes and ears you have [can] make a significant difference in your community.”

  At the end of the meeting, there was a solemn procession to 160 Muir Woods Road for a vigil, where residents lit candles and sang “Amazing Grace.”

  * * *

  Later that night, ABC’s 20/20 broadcast a special on the Turpin case, retracing David and Louise’s life back to Princeton, West Virginia. Riverside County DA Michael Hestrin gave an exclusive interview for the program, revealing new details about the case.

  “You’ve got parents who are torturing their children,” he said. “Causing them pain. Causing them suffering over a prolonged period to time through malnourishment, through physical abuse, through psychological abuse. It’s horrific.”

  Elizabeth Flores was also featured, describing their childhood back in Princeton, West Virginia, as “a pretty normal life.” But when prompted, she did open up about the darker parts of her and Louise’s past.

  “There was sexual abuse by a family member,” she admitted. “A close family friend, not our parents. We were not allowed to talk about it. And I’m not making excuses for my sister, but I think that may have been an [underlying] issue.”

  Elizabeth said that both Louise’s and David’s families had attended the same Pentecostal church in Princeton.

  “I’ve known David all my life,” she told 20/20’s Elizabeth Vargas. “My parents and his parents were pretty close. We all attended the Princeton Church of God for years and years and years.”

  The show turned to Louise and David’s time in Texas, where they had had most of their thirteen children. Ashley Vinyard, whose brief friendship with Jennifer and Joshua was ended by their mother, recalled the day they all moved into a double-wide trailer at the back of the house. She never saw them again.

  “The secrecy just grew and grew,” she said. “One day they just vanished.”

  Billy Baldwin, who bought the Turpin spread after it was foreclosed on, said the house was left in a disgusting mess. He also showed some Polaroid pictures that he had found, pointing out a rope hanging off a bed rail in one of the children’s bedrooms.

  “But we didn’t have no idea what was going there,” he said. “I really feel bad that something like that would happen.”

  The special followed the Turpins to Southern California, focusing on their trips to Disneyland.

  “She was obsessed with Disneyland,” said Elizabeth. “Her whole marriage they’ve had season passes and go regularly. They were obsessed with Disney and Mickey Mouse.”

  The show also screened video clips from one of the Turpins’ three wedding renewal ceremonies in Las Vegas.

  “It was a fun wedding,” said Elvis impersonator Kent Ripley, “because I got to see smiles on their kids’ faces.”

  Mike Clifford Sr., who lived opposite the Turpins in Murrieta, California, said he often saw the siblings after midnight, marching back and forth in single file. He thought it was some kind of therapy.

  At the end of the show, DA Hestrin once again appealed for anyone who knew anything to contact the newly set up Turpin tip line.

  “We want to know anything and everything,” he said. “These alleged crimes were committed in a closed house, in a closed room under cover of darkness. But someone must have seen something, and we’re asking for the public’s help.”

  * * *

  On Sunday, January 21, one week after the escape, Jim and Betty Turpin attended a service at the Princeton Church of God. Afterward, they met with Pastor Ray Hurt for counseling.

  “[David’s] family, his mother and father, are very faithful, very solid citizens,” said Dr. Hurt. “And their concern has been primarily for their grandchildren, because through the years they’ve been kept apart from them. They haven’t been able to get very much response from their son and daughter-in-law.”

  The grandparents told the pastor about their last family visit to Murrieta.

  “They said they did not notice any behaviors in the children out of the ordinary,” he said. “They acted happy. Now, of course, the Turpins are elderly and only there for a few days. And they’re not trained professionals in terms of psychology, so they might not have noticed anything.”

  The Church of God pastor also emphasized that David and Louise Turpin’s treatment of their children had absolutely nothing to do with Pentecostal teachings.

  “We consider children a gift from God,” he said, “to be nurtured and cared for. We stick to a pretty strict admonition of care and love for children. I don’t know where they came up with their ideology, their thinking. Something h
appened to them after they left here, obviously.”

  24

  FAMILY SECRETS

  On Monday, January 22, Teresa Robinette was the special guest on Megan Kelly Today. In front of a studio audience, an emotional Teresa said David and Louise were now dead to her after what they had done.

  “Let’s talk about Louise,” said Kelly. “There was abuse in your family. In the wake of this discovery, can you tell us a little about that?”

  “A very, very close family member that we should have loved and trusted abused my mother,” said Teresa, tearing up. “And then me and Louise and Elizabeth and a few of our cousins. That was ongoing for me and my sisters … and my mother still took us around this person a lot.”

  Kelly asked if she had ever publicly outed the man responsible.

  “No,” Teresa replied. “The adults in our family protected him because he was family … but it was always a dark family secret that he did this.”

  Teresa told Kelly about Louise and David’s trip to Alabama and their sexual experimentation. Teresa said that, growing up, Louise had never smoked a cigarette or drank alcohol because of her strict religious beliefs. But when she turned forty, she and David stopped going to church, began drinking, and had an open marriage.

  At the end of the interview, Kelly asked what Teresa hoped would happen with all her nieces and nephews.

  “My main hope is that I can put my arm around them,” she replied, “and just tell them they have family that love them. That’s not deranged. That this is what it’s supposed to be like.”

  * * *

  On Monday afternoon, a Canadian skydiver died after colliding with another jumper and crashing into the roof of a house less than a mile away from Muir Woods Road. When the reporters camped outside the Turpin house learned the news, they rushed to the scene of the accident, giving residents a brief respite from the constant media presence.