Prosecutors revealed new charges Friday afternoon for David and Louise Turpin, the California couple accused of starving and torturing their 13 children in their Perris home.
The Press-Enterprise reported that David, 56, and Louise, 49, briefly appeared in Superior Court in Riverside for a status hearing. The hearing lasted a few minutes as the hearing entailed attorneys for the prosecution and defense telling the judge how much additional time they’ll need to prepare their case.
Local reporter Sharon Chen tweeted that the defense attorney said he’ll make his best efforts to be prepared for a May 14 preliminary hearing despite the “voluminous” amount of evidence involved in this high-profile case.
Additionally, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has filed an amended felony complaint that charged the Turpins with three additional counts of child abuse and Louise with felony assault. They have pleaded not guilty to the latest charges.
Three counts of child abuse have been added to the charges against both Perris torture defendants David and Louise Turpin. Louise also additionally charged with felony assault. pic.twitter.com/zbykD7Dwhx
— Brian Rokos (@Brian_Rokos) February 23, 2018
Last month, David and Louise pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including torture, abuse of a dependent adult, child abuse, and false imprisonment.
Brian Rosko, a reporter for The Press-Enterprise, noted Friday that David had cut his signature bowl cut since his last public appearance.
Reports indicated that a second status hearing was scheduled for March 23.
#Breaking More #DavidandLouise #Turpin now face more charges, added on today to which they pleaded #notguilty. #turpinfamily #turpins
— Fox 5 Sharon Chen (@sharonchenfox5) February 23, 2018
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Riverside police arrested the couple on January 15 for allegedly withholding food from their 13 children in addition to limiting their bathroom use and allowing them to only shower once a year.
The couple’s 17-year-old daughter reportedly escaped from the Perris home through a window and used a deactivated cell phone to call 911. The teen allegedly told officers that her parents were holding her and her 12 siblings captive and presented pictures that corroborated her story.
Authorities said the Turpin children, who range in age from 2 to 29, have suffered physical and cognitive impairments due to the years of neglect.
The California parents are being held on $12 million bail each.
[Feature Photo: David and Louise Turpin/Riverside County Sheriff’s Department]
