'Deputies located what they believed to be 12 children inside the house, but were shocked to discover that 7 of them were actually adults, ranging in age from 18 to 29'
12 siblings have been found imprisoned in 'filthy' conditions at their home in Perris, California. Police discovered the siblings of the Turpin family when one of them (aged 17) escaped the house and called 911.
After the daughter who raised the alarm was interviewed by police, the other 11 children of the Turpin family were found when officers entered the home on Sunday night.
Their parents, David and Louise Turpin, have been arrested and charged with torture and child endangerment.
The Turpin family children discovered in 'filthy' conditions
The 'children' range in age from 2 to 29 years old, though the Turpins' 17-year-old daughter who called police appeared so malnourished that they initially believed she was aged just 10.
They were found in 'filthy' conditions, say police, with some of the siblings chained or shackled to beds with padlocks at the house, which is situated in the county of Perris, an hour's drive from Los Angeles.
A statement from police read, 'deputies located what they believed to be 12 children inside the house, but were shocked to discover that 7 of them were actually adults, ranging in age from 18 to 29.'
Neighbours described the Turpin family as 'private' and told press they had rarely seen the children coming out of the house. One neighbour told the Press Enterprise: 'I didn’t know there were kids in the house. I had no idea this was going on.'
