'House of Horrors' parents had 'sinister plan before arrest', neighbours reveal
The "House of Horrors" parents had plans to leave town or possibly end their lives hours before they were arrested for allegedly starving and shackling their 13 children, neighbours claim.
David and Louise Turpin were arrested earlier this month after one of the teenagers escaped and alerted authorities in Perris, California.
They pleaded not guilty to a total of 75 charges relating to torture, child abuse, false imprisonment and abuse of dependant adults.
A family friend claimed 12 hours before the arrest, Mr and Ms Turpin had told them they planned to leave the home.
“I saw them about 7 or 8pm on Saturday,” the unnamed friend told The Mirror.
“They said they needed to say ‘goodbye’ because they were getting ready to leave town.
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“They didn’t say where or when they were going. I couldn’t believe it when I saw their pictures on the TV two nights later.”
Another unnamed friend told the publication they were unsure if the couple meant they were leaving town or planned to end their lives.
This comes as Ms Turpin’s sister, Teresa Robinette, revealed the California mother hit a mid-life crisis and began drinking, gambling and exploring her sexuality to experience what she never did as a teenager.
“Louise had never drunk a beer or smoked a cigarette or done a drug or anything like that in her whole life,” Ms Robinette told the Daily Mail.
“Then one day, just as she was turning 40 she called and told me that she and David were going to have a drink."
Meanwhile, more than $150,000 has been donated to help the Turpin's 13 children, who are also being inundated with adoption offers from around the country.
About 20 people including nurses and psychologists have offered to take all of the children, including those of an adult age to keep them together.
