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Homicide detectives could use cadaver dogs to sniff for the remains of other children in the suburban Perris "house of horrors," according to a report. FOX 11's Matt Johnson reports.
Media: FoxLARIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — The California children who authorities say were tortured by their parents and so malnourished that their growth was stunted are slowly providing valuable information to investigators, a prosecutor told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
"Victims in these kinds of cases, they tell their story, but they tell it slowly. They tell it at their own pace," Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. "It will come out when it comes out."
David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children — ranging from 2 to 29 — before they were rescued on Jan. 14 from their home in Perris. They have pleaded not guilty to torture and other charges.
A judge signed a protective order Wednesday prohibiting the couple from contacting their children, except through attorneys or investigators. Before the brief hearing, Louise Turpin looked at her husband and smiled.
David Allen Turpin and Louise Anna Turpin appear in court with their attorneys in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to 29, before they were rescued on Jan. 14 from their home in Perris. They have pleaded not guilty to torture and other charges. On Wednesday, a judge signed a protective order prohibiting the parents from contacting any of their children, except through attorneys or investigators. (Los Angeles Times/Gina Ferazzi via AP, Pool) less
David Allen Turpin and Louise Anna Turpin appear in court with their attorneys in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to ... more
Photo: Gina Ferazzi, AP
David Turpin appears in court in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to 29, before they were rescued on Jan. 14 from their home in Perris. They have pleaded not guilty to torture and other charges. On Wednesday, a judge signed a protective order prohibiting the parents from contacting any of their children, except through attorneys or investigators. (Terry Pierson /The Press-Enterprise via AP, Pool) less
David Turpin appears in court in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to 29, before they were rescued on Jan. 14 from ... more
Photo: Terry Pierson, AP
Defendant Louise Anna Turpin appears in court in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to 29, before they were rescued on Jan. 14 from their home in Perris. They have pleaded not guilty to torture and other charges. On Wednesday, a judge signed a protective order prohibiting the parents from contacting any of their children, except through attorneys or investigators. (Terry Pierson/The Press-Enterprise via AP, Pool) less
Defendant Louise Anna Turpin appears in court in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to 29, before they were rescued on ... more
Photo: Terry Pierson, AP
A Perris police car drives past the home of David and Louise Turpin where police arrested the couple accused of holding 13 children captive Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018 in Perris, Calif. The Turpins are accused of abusing their 13 children, ranging from 2 to 29, before they were rescued on Jan. 14 from their home in Perris. The California children who authorities say were tortured by their parents and so malnourished that their growth was stunted are slowly providing valuable information to investigators, a prosecutor told The Associated Press on Wednesday. less
A Perris police car drives past the home of David and Louise Turpin where police arrested the couple accused of holding 13 children captive Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018 in Perris, Calif. The Turpins are accused of ... more
Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP
FILE--In this Jan. 18, 2018, file photo, neighbor Liza Tozier, and her son, Avery Sanchez, 6, drop off his large "Teddy" as a gift for the children who lived on a home where police arrested a couple accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, Calif., More than $120,000 has been donated to help the 13 siblings who authorities say were kept chained to beds for months by their parents and starved so much that their growth was stunted. less
FILE--In this Jan. 18, 2018, file photo, neighbor Liza Tozier, and her son, Avery Sanchez, 6, drop off his large "Teddy" as a gift for the children who lived on a home where police arrested a couple accused of ... more
Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP
Neighbor Rilee Unger, 3, plays with a toy after dropping off a couple of her own teddy bears on the porch of a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. The parents of 13 children and young adults have pleaded not guilty in a California court to numerous charges that they tortured and abused the siblings for years. David and Louise Turpin were each ordered held on $12 million bail after entering their pleas Thursday and were scheduled to return to court on Feb. 23. less
Neighbor Rilee Unger, 3, plays with a toy after dropping off a couple of her own teddy bears on the porch of a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, ... more
Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP
Trash and a fake rattle snake sculpture are seen on the front door of a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. The parents of 13 children and young adults have pleaded not guilty in a California court to numerous charges that they tortured and abused the siblings for years. David and Louise Turpin were each ordered held on $12 million bail after entering their pleas Thursday and were scheduled to return to court on Feb. 23. less
Trash and a fake rattle snake sculpture are seen on the front door of a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. The ... more
Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP
Neighbor Avery Sanchez, 6, peeks behinds his mother, Liza Tozier after dropping off his large "Teddy" for the children who lived on a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. The parents of 13 children and young adults have pleaded not guilty in a California court to numerous charges that they tortured and abused the siblings for years. David and Louise Turpin were each ordered held on $12 million bail after entering their pleas Thursday and were scheduled to return to court on Feb. 23. less
Neighbor Avery Sanchez, 6, peeks behinds his mother, Liza Tozier after dropping off his large "Teddy" for the children who lived on a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children ... more
Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP
Members of the media work outside a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. less
Members of the media work outside a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led ... more
Photo: Alex Gallardo, AP
Detective walks next to a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. less
Detective walks next to a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to ... more
Photo: Alex Gallardo, AP
In this grab taken from video provided by KABC-TV on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, east of Los Angeles. Authorities say an emaciated teenager led deputies to a California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. (KABC-TV via AP) less
In this grab taken from video provided by KABC-TV on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, east of Los Angeles. ... more
Photo: AP
Members of the media work outside a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. less
Members of the media work outside a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager ... more
Photo: Alex Gallardo, AP
Members of the media work outside a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. less
Members of the media work outside a home Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led ... more
Photo: Alex Gallardo, AP
This photo shows the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. less
This photo shows the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led ... more
Photo: Alex Gallardo, AP
This Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, frame from video from KABC-TV shows the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. (KABC-TV via AP) less
This Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, frame from video from KABC-TV shows the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif. Authorities said an ... more
Photo: AP
Captain Greg Fellows, Riverside County Sheriff's Department Perris Station Commander, answers questions from the media regarding the case involving 13 captive siblings in a Perris, Calif., home on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, in Perris. California authorities say the mother of 13 children kept locked in filthy conditions was "perplexed" about why police came to their home. Fellows described the reaction of 49-year-old Louise Turpin but didn't know the reaction of the father, 57-year-old David Turpin.(Stan Lim/Los Angeles Daily News via AP) less
Captain Greg Fellows, Riverside County Sheriff's Department Perris Station Commander, answers questions from the media regarding the case involving 13 captive siblings in a Perris, Calif., home on Tuesday, Jan. ... more
Photo: Stan Lim, AP
Dr. Sophia Grant, medical director of Child Abuse and Neglect at Riverside University Heath System, prepares to speaks to the media regarding the case involving 13 captive siblings in a Perris, Calif., home during a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, in Perris. (Stan Lim/Los Angeles Daily News via AP) less
Dr. Sophia Grant, medical director of Child Abuse and Neglect at Riverside University Heath System, prepares to speaks to the media regarding the case involving 13 captive siblings in a Perris, Calif., home ... more
Photo: STAN LIM, AP
This photo shows the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led deputies to the California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. less
This photo shows the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Authorities said an emaciated teenager led ... more
Photo: Alex Gallardo, AP
In this grab taken from video provided by KABC-TV on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, east of Los Angeles. Authorities say an emaciated teenager led deputies to a California home where her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, with some of them malnourished and chained to beds. (KABC-TV via AP) less
In this grab taken from video provided by KABC-TV on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, the exterior of the home where police arrested a couple accused of holding their 13 children captive, in Perris, east of Los Angeles. ... more
Photo: AP
"It protects everyone involved, including my client," David Turpin's attorney, David Macher, said about the order. "I don't want my client exposed to accusations that he attempted to harass or threaten a witness."
Louise Turpin's attorney declined to comment after the hearing.
All of the children remained hospitalized and were relieved to be out of the home, Hestrin said.
Deputies arrested the husband and wife after their 17-year-old daughter climbed out a window and called 911. Authorities found the siblings in the family's filthy home, with three of them shackled to beds when deputies knocked on the door.
Investigators have learned that the children were isolated from each other and locked in different rooms in small groups, Hestrin said.
The children did not have access to televisions or radios but were able to read and write and expressed themselves in hundreds of journals that were seized from the home, the district attorney said.
"It appears to me that they lacked any kind of understanding about how the world worked," Hestrin said.
One of the older boys had taken a variety of classes at Mt. San Jacinto College, a community college, but his mother took him to the campus and waited outside class for him, Hestrin said. The college confirmed that one of the Turpins had been a student but refused to provide additional information, including some that is generally releasable under federal privacy laws.
Earlier this week, Louise Turpin's half-brother, Billy Lambert, told several news organizations that she had aspired to have a reality television show focusing on their large family. But Hestrin said investigators have uncovered no evidence indicating the couple was seeking media attention or a show.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to call 1-888-934-5437.
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Balsamo reported from Los Angeles.