David and Louise Turpin, the California parents accused of starving and imprisoning their 13 children in a filthy Perris home, have pleaded not guilty to all charges on Thursday.
According to CBS, the couple pleaded not guilty to all counts–12 counts of torture, seven counts of abuse of a dependent adult, six counts of child abuse or neglect, and 12 counts of false imprisonment–for crimes occurring from 2010 to now. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office said they face 94 years to life behind bars if convicted on all charges.
David, 57, and Louise, 49, were silent but for saying that they understood their right to a speedy preliminary hearing, the network reported.
ORIGINAL Story: House of Horrors! Parents arrested after 13 emaciated siblings, some shackled, rescued from decrepit ‘foul-smelling’ home: Cops
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Riverside County police arrested David and Louise after their 17-year-old daughter reportedly escaped the home and called for help. The teen allegedly told officers that her parents were holding her and her 12 siblings captive–and presented pictures that corroborated her story.
Reports indicated that investigators found three of the siblings chained to furniture in the “foul-smelling” home.
“Deputies located what they believed to be 12 children inside the house, but were shocked to discover that 7 of them were actually adults, ranging in age from 18 to 29,” police said in a statement. “The victims appeared to be malnourished and very dirty.”
Earlier, district attorneys accused the couple of beating the children and tying them up as punishment. Authorities claimed that the prolonged neglect has left their severely underweight children with cognitive impairments, according to ABC.
The Turpins are each being held on $12 million bail. They are scheduled to reappear in court on February 23.
[Featured Image: David and Louise Turpin/Riverside County Sheriff’s Department]