Jan. 25 (UPI) — A California judge on Wednesday barred a couple from contacting the 13 children they’re accused of abusing and starving.
A Riverside County judge issued a protective order to prevent David Turpin and Louise Turpin from talking to or being within 100 yards of their seven adult and six juvenile children aged from 2 to 29 years old. The order is effective until Jan. 24, 2021.
The Turpins face 12 counts of torture, seven counts of abuse of a dependent adult, six counts of child abuse and 12 counts of false imprisonment. Prosecutors also charged David Turpin with one count of a lewd act on a child by force, fear or duress.
Law enforcement officials said they searched the Turpin home earlier this month and found “several children shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks in dark and foul-smelling surroundings.” They were tipped off after one of the siblings, a 17-year-old girl, escaped from the house and contacted police.
All 13 children “appeared to be malnourished and very dirty,” and some had cognitive impairment and lacked basic knowledge, police said.
A source told ABC News the family was planning to move to Oklahoma within days at the time of the Turpins’ arrest.
The protective order also forbids the couple from possessing firearms.
The Turpins have been jailed on $12 million bail each and face up to 94 years in prison if convicted. The 13 siblings are under the care of Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services staff.
