Former classmate opens up 'House of Horror' son's 'odd' behaviour at school
A former classmate of David and Louise Turpin's oldest son has spoken about the "sweet but odd guy" she went to college with, who wore the same clothes every day and was noticeably gaunt.
For several years, Angie Parra was enrolled in the same music course at Mt San Jacinto College in Menifee County, Kentucky, as the oldest boy in California's so-called House of Horrors family.
"He never really wanted to make eye contact with anyone," she told NBC Los Angeles, adding that there was a "sadness in his face and eyes" that she didn't quite understand.
She also recalled watching the clearly ravenous student wolf down food at a school banquet and thinking he seemed "famished".
"He stood by the table and sat down with his plate and literally just ate plate after plate after plate," she said.
"I'll never forget this ... he was clearly famished."
The "introverted" boy was a student at the college for six semesters, according to ABC7.
Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestin said Mrs Turpin would drop him at school each morning and wait outside for him to finish.
The school has released a statement saying: "We at Mt San Jacinto College are deeply saddened and horrified to hear of the allegations involving these children. Our hearts go out to the victims."
The 13 Turpin children, who range in age from two to 29, were found shackled to their beds by chains and padlocks after the couple's 17-year-old daughter escaped and called authorities.
They were forbidden to use the toilet, forced to relieve themselves where they were, could only shower once a year, wore the same clothes every day and were were restricted to just one meal per day while their parents reportedly gorged on cake in front of them.
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Louise Turpin’s half-brother, Billy Lambert, revealed the parents had plans to have a 14th child and even had hopes to start a reality television show before their arrest.
“She used to say how they would be perfect for TV and would often mention they would be bigger than the reality show Kate Plus 8,” Mr Lambert told the Mirror.
“She thought the world would be fascinated by their lives."
David Turpin, 57, and Louise Turpin, 49, pleaded not guilty last Thursday to a total of 75 charges related to torture, child abuse, false imprisonment and abuse of dependent adults.
If convicted, they could face a minimum of 94 years in jail, up to a maximum life sentence.
Each are being held on $13 million bail and will next appear in court on February 23.