Foster family charged with abuse, multiple sources report evidence links them to some of the Turpin children
A family in Perris has been accused of physically and psychologically abusing several foster children, including some of the Turpin siblings, CBS and ABC News report.
Marcelino, Lennys, and Rosa Olguin were arrested on Nov. 3 and charged with a combined 17 counts of child cruelty. Marcelino was charged with four counts of lewd acts with a minor.
ABC and CBS NEWS are reporting that evidence suggests the victims include five of the Turpin siblings.
The Olguins were in court on Thursday, however, their arrangement was postponed to Feb. 1.
As we've previously reported, 12 of the 13 Turpin children were shackled, starved, and physically abused by their parents in what authorities called a "house of horrors." Prosecutors said some of the children were caged or chained most times of the day, forced to subsist on peanut butter sandwiches and burritos, made to sleep up to 20 hours daily, and were allowed to shower only once a year.
The "house of horrors" was discovered when one of the Turpin girls, then-17-year-old Jordan Turpin, managed to escape through a window and call 911. The harrowing discovery by police was captured on a body cam.
Read: Turpin sisters who escaped Perris ‘house of horrors’ speak out: ‘I thought I was going to die’
The parents, David and Louise Turpin, were arrested and eventually sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
The Turpin siblings were split up into foster homes and other facilities, with some ending up under the foster care of the Olguins. Many of the siblings were living in squalor, despite $600,000 of private donations made for them, the Turpin sisters revealed to Diane Sawyer in an ABC News interview.
"They have been victimized again by the system"
- Riverside County District attorney mike hestrin
Much of the donations have been kept from the siblings. County officials, citing court-ordered secrecy, refused to provide ABC News with any information about the trusts, including how much money has been distributed to the Turpin children and the justification for refusing some requests for financial assistance made on behalf of the children.
The revelations raised many questions about the state of the foster care system in Riverside County. Last week, the county Board of Supervisors voted to form a committee tasked with ferreting out where Riverside County inter-agency systems can be improved to better protect vulnerable children and adults.
A former judge also informed the board that an investigation into the issues that inspired the committee, involving 13 siblings, is progressing.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
Check Out Some of Our Previous Stories on the Turpin Family:
- Trapped Turpin teen posted YouTube videos before escaping
- Adult Turpin siblings released from hospital
- Turpin parents planning Oklahoma move before arrest
- Horrors inside Perris prison home detailed by DA
- I-Team Exclusive: Interview with Perris prison home DA
- Turpins barred from contacting children in Perris prison home case
