13 victims, ages 2 to 29, kept shackled by parents

[William Parcher]

When the police arrived three of them were in chains (ages of these not reported). The 17 year old girl who called the police may or may not have escaped chains to do it - it's not yet confirmed either way.

There are 13 children with 7 of them being adults (18 yo or older). Of the adults, 5 are female.

Various neighbors observed the children behaving unusually but nothing to warrant calling the police.

A previous landlord at a previous house once went inside. The children slept in bunk beds, he said, but nothing about their behavior or the condition of the house seemed out of the ordinary. The children, he said, "were quiet, shy, well-behaved."

County adult and child protective service workers and medical professionals are assessing the siblings, Sheriff's Captain Fellows said. The parents, he said, showed "no indication of mental illness at this time" that could explain what they did to their children.

"It's hard to think of them as adults when you first see them because they're small and their malnutrition," medical center executive Uffer said. "They're very friendly. They're very cooperative, and I believe very hopeful that life will get better for them after this event."

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-perris-house-children-20180117-story.html

 

[cullennz]

I still have a nagging suspicion in my head with zero evidence that the younger kids won't all be the mothers kids, and the reason a lot of them all "look" around a similar range of years old is that the mothers might be the older daughters.

Probably made a complete hash of that paragraph

In short I suspect that the dad (Or older sons) might have been getting the older daughters pregnant as well as the mother

 

[Minoosh]

My theory is that they ran into serious food problems in the past year or so.

For so many of them to have seemingly stunted growth, the malnutrition would have to have started earlier, unless you're right about them cranking out 5-foot-tall adults due to genetics. Which is probably possible; an entire family in Turkey walks on all fours! (I saw it on YouTube).

I don't know the actual heights, just that the adult children appear unusually short. A 17-year-old isn't going to look like a 10-year-old if the food problems were only in the past year or so.

 

[William Parcher]

If the malnutrition is extreme it might cause infertility.

 

[Minoosh]

I still have a nagging suspicion in my head with zero evidence that the younger kids won't all be the mothers kids, and the reason a lot of them all "look" around a similar range of years old is that the mothers might be the older daughters.

Probably made a complete hash of that paragraph

In short I suspect that the dad (Or older sons) might have been getting the older daughters pregnant as well as the mother

A lot of times, though, pubescent girls will not start menstruating if they are seriously underweight. The offspring are spaced out enough in age for me to totally believe that this was all one couple's doing. Thirteen isn't really even all that many, compared to what was fairly common until about 100 years ago. I've known kids from families of 15+ children.

 

[cullennz]

A lot of times, though, pubescent girls will not start menstruating if they are seriously underweight. The offspring are spaced out enough in age for me to totally believe that this was all one couple's doing. Thirteen isn't really even all that many, compared to what was fairly common until about 100 years ago. I've known kids from families of 15+ children.

Good point

And tbh there seems to be not much questioning of the actual ages published, so they must have some sort of reliable source, so it is probably just me turning conspiracy nutter

 

[William Parcher]

For so many of them to have seemingly stunted growth, the malnutrition would have to have started earlier,

If they are all growth-stunted due to malnutrition then it started at the very beginning with their first child which was 29 years ago. There was at least a period when the father earned $140,000 a year. That buys a hell of a lot of good food for a smaller family. But at some point he lost the job and they have declared bankruptcy twice. Some articles say that they are currently about $100,000 in debt. The financials are not confirmed.

A 17-year-old isn't going to look like a 10-year-old if the food problems were only in the past year or so.

I'm not sure that a 17 yo would ever look like a 10 yo. What I mean is that the faces of those two ages are really different. Malnutrition will stunt growth - but will it stunt aging? When we guess or estimate people's ages we don't simply look at their size or height. We also look at their facial features and facial proportions. We may also look at their body "figure" irrespective of overall size.

I honestly don't know if malnutrition will halt the aging process so that a person will seriously look like a young child for greatly extended years.

 

[William Parcher]

And tbh there seems to be not much questioning of the actual ages published, so they must have some sort of reliable source, so it is probably just me turning conspiracy nutter

All we really know is that there are 13 kids ranging in age from 2 to 29. Seven of them are 18 years or older and of those seven, five are female.

We don't know if there are any twins or even triplets.

 

[Minoosh]

If they are all growth-stunted due to malnutrition then it started at the very beginning with their first child which was 29 years ago.

There are cases of parents abusing some siblings and not others.

There was at least a period when the father earned $140,000 a year. That buys a hell of a lot of good food for a smaller family. But at some point he lost the job and they have declared bankruptcy twice. Some articles say that they are currently about $100,000 in debt. The financials are not confirmed.

Fair point but those trips to Vegas and Disneyland weren't free. And perhaps there was underfeeding that was not related to affordability.

Are there news stories out there telling us more yet?

I'm not sure that a 17 yo would ever look like a 10 yo. What I mean is that the faces of those two ages are really different. Malnutrition will stunt growth - but will it stunt aging? When we guess or estimate people's ages we don't simply look at their size or height. We also look at their facial features and facial proportions. We may also look at their body "figure" irrespective of overall size.

I honestly don't know if malnutrition will halt the aging process so that a person will seriously look like a young child for greatly extended years.

If puberty were delayed, I'm sure that could affect facial features. I've also noticed that with profound disability (I'm talking major head trauma, kids brain-damaged, diapered and in wheelchairs for life) teenagers sometimes look much younger.

 

[John Jones]

I still have a nagging suspicion in my head with zero evidence that the younger kids won't all be the mothers kids, and the reason a lot of them all "look" around a similar range of years old is that the mothers might be the older daughters.

Probably made a complete hash of that paragraph

In short I suspect that the dad (Or older sons) might have been getting the older daughters pregnant as well as the mother

You suspect incest then? I'm not being deliberately obtuse, just making sure I get the picture, and avoiding the "Rule of So".

 

[John Jones]

A lot of times, though, pubescent girls will not start menstruating if they are seriously underweight. The offspring are spaced out enough in age for me to totally believe that this was all one couple's doing. Thirteen isn't really even all that many, compared to what was fairly common until about 100 years ago. I've known kids from families of 15+ children.

I work with a woman who had 14 siblings that lived to adulthood. They were raised on fertile farmland in the mid-west USA. She's 72 and still working. You just don't see that much in urban or suburban areas.

 

[Jodie]

None of the girls show evidence of breast development.Those types of dresses they are wearing wouldn't hide that so something is wrong. I guess we will eventually hear about it when the medical exams are done.

 

[William Parcher]

None of the girls show evidence of breast development.Those types of dresses they are wearing wouldn't hide that so something is wrong. I guess we will eventually hear about it when the medical exams are done.

I see boobies on one of them. Bra-filled boobies on her for sure.

 

[William Parcher]

I guess we will eventually hear about it when the medical exams are done.

Maybe not or maybe no details. These are victims and many are not even adults. The government isn't too keen on publicly releasing the physical details of young and living victims.

Reporter: Tell us all about the mammaries and menses of the young ladies.
Health Official: Shove it up your ass.

 

[Minoosh]

Maybe not or maybe no details. These are victims and many are not even adults. The government isn't too keen on publicly releasing the physical details of young and living victims.

Reporter: Tell us all about the mammaries and menses of the young ladies.
Health Official: Shove it up your ass.

However in building a criminal case those questions will be asked and any indictment would reveal some details. Still more would come out in open court.

Reporters aren't all vultures. Many newspapers will self-censor to some extent as well. Even if it becomes public information that puberty was delayed, media outlets won't necessarily print all the details.

I see boobies on one of them. Bra-filled boobies on her for sure.

Boobies are mostly fat. Very malnourished girls/young women generally aren't going to have large breasts. Maybe the parents wanted to delay development. But that would be counter to the quiver full argument. All those kids and no grandkids? Counter to the mandate to be fruitful & multiply.

 

[cullennz]

You suspect incest then? I'm not being deliberately obtuse, just making sure I get the picture, and avoiding the "Rule of So".

Yeah

But as I say.

Just a feeling. No evidence yet

Edit: Suspicion. Not feeling

 

[Checkmite]

Maybe the parents wanted to delay development. But that would be counter to the quiver full argument. All those kids and no grandkids? Counter to the mandate to be fruitful & multiply.

I don't see why it would necessarily have to be. The father is the master of the house; marrying off daughters to persons of his choice or keeping them around to raise the younger children, either way, it's his prerogative.

 

[Information Analyst]

You could show these photos to many people who are unfamiliar with the story. Ask "this is a family, do you see anything unusual here?"

Yeah, the kids are all wearing identical clothes, with variance only for gender. That's *********** creepy when it's twins, let alone a brood this size.

 

[ponderingturtle]

I don't see why it would necessarily have to be. The father is the master of the house; marrying off daughters to persons of his choice or keeping them around to raise the younger children, either way, it's his prerogative.

Also helps to have cart blanch with regards to schooling and no need for inspection or seeing doctors. Really helps you keep the kids locked in the basement.

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/17/us/california-turpin-home-schooling/index.html

"Riverside County Sheriff's Capt. Greg Fellows, who likened the siblings' treatment to torture, said their mother was "perplexed as to why" authorities came to her home.
The California Department of Education does not have the authority to monitor or inspect private schools, according to a statement from spokesman Scott Roark."

 

[Craig4]

My thesis? I think the parents are weirdos who kept their big family mostly sequestered in the house. Sometimes they would all go on trips to Disneyland and Law Vegas and other places and have family group photos taken. Somewhat recently some of the kids got shackled for unknown reasons and some may not have been fed properly or wouldn't eat properly.

A cop said a girl that called them looked slightly emaciated. We don't have doctors reports or new photos. They all look healthy in older photos including last year.

It seems like crazy religion is part of the mix. They've probably got too many children for their mental and financial capacities. It's a bad way to be and to treat your kids. The shackling of some is beyond understanding. Maybe we'll get more details as time goes on.

Would not a "slightly emaciated" 10 year old be a really emaciated 17 year old?