Southern California

'Torture House' Where Children Were Allegedly Shackled, Starved Sells for $310,360

David and Louise Turpin were arrested last year after their 17-year-old daughter escaped from the home and called 911

A Southern California home where authorities say a couple tortured most of their 13 children has been sold in an online auction.

The Press-Enterprise reports that the four-bedroom house in the Riverside County city of Perris was sold Wednesday for $310,360 to an unidentified bidder. The home was recently appraised at $353,138 by Riverside County.

Authorities arrested suspects David and Louise Turpin last year after their 17-year-old daughter escaped from the home and called 911. Both have pleaded not guilty to torture and other crimes and are each being held on $12 million bail.

Authorities have said some of the children were shackled to their beds and were beaten and starved.

Officials said the children, who ranged in age from 2 to 29, were so malnourished the older ones looked like children. The oldest sibling weighed only 82 pounds when they were discovered, authorities said.  

In a 2018 interview on the "Today" show, the children's aunt said her nieces and nephews faced an extremely strict existence. 

"They weren’t allowed to date. They didn’t have a social life. They weren’t allowed to watch TV. They weren’t allowed to talk on the phone or have friends over, the normal stuff that kids do," Louise Turpin's sister, Teresa Robinette, said.

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In November, county officials said the children, who are now between the ages of 3 to 30, were in the care of county Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services staff. Most of them were hospitalized last year in January for treatment, but they have since been released and placed in undisclosed residential facilities, according to county officials. Authorities said at the time that only the now-3-year-old girl appeared to be in good health.

The Press-Enterprise said the alleged crimes were not mentioned in documents attached to the property listing.

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