Inside the Turpin “house of horrors”: what became of the home 8 years later

The Turpin family home in Perris, California appeared to be an ordinary suburban property. Neighbours later said nothing seemed overtly alarming. Behind closed doors, however, it concealed years of severe abuse inflicted by David and Louise Turpin on their 13 children.

The ordeal came to an end in January 2018 when 17-year-old Jordan Turpin escaped through a window and called 911 using a deactivated mobile phone. In the call, she told authorities, “My parents are abusive… my two little sisters right now are chained up to their bed.”

When police arrived, they discovered children aged between two and 29 living in filthy conditions, malnourished and restrained. The parents were arrested, and in 2019, David and Louise Turpin pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts each. They were sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

Although the children were freed from their parents, their challenges did not immediately end. Some siblings later reported neglect and abuse within the foster care system, a disturbing chapter explored in ABC’s primetime special The Turpins: A New House of Horror, hosted by Diane Sawyer.

The Perris property itself went into foreclosure later in 2018. It was sold at auction in early 2019 and eventually purchased for $270,500. The home was briefly listed for rent in 2020 and is not currently on the market.

Years later, the house remains a silent reminder of one of the most harrowing child abuse cases in modern American history—and of the courage it took for one teenager to bring it to light.