Riverside County Restaurants To Fundraise For Perris Victims

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA -- Restaurants in the region will hold a fundraiser Wednesday to support the 13 siblings who were rescued from their parents in Perris. Titled "Magnificent 13," the fundraiser is being coordinated by the Corona Chamber of Commerce.

The 13 siblings were discovered earlier this month after one of the victims, a 17-year-old girl, escaped from the house and called 911 to report their parents had been abusing them for years. Riverside County deputies who responded to the scene said they found a filthy house with malnourished children, some of them chained to furniture.

In details released following the discovery, officials said the children were tortured for a "prolonged period," and were deprived of food and showers.

The devastating discovery prompted an outcry around the world with thousands of people sending donations to the 13 siblings, who are currently in the custody of Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services staff. Their parents, David Allen Turpin and Louis Ann Turpin, are being held at Robert Presley Jail in Riverside as they await trial.

In a video posted online, Corona Chamber Foundation president Don Williamson said the group has raised more than $50,000 but hopes for more donations to help the children "who have been so damaged."

"These are 13 children whose needs are going to continue into the future," Don Williamson said. "What we really need is cash. We want to be ready and on-hand to provide them with whatever their needs will be."

About 40 restaurants have signed up to participate in the fundraiser. They plan to donate a portion of proceeds from Wednesday to the chamber to support the victims.

For a full list of restaurants, click here. Donations can also be made on the chamber's website.

--Photo: Neighbor Rilee Unger, 3, plays with a toy after dropping off a couple of her own teddy bears on the porch of a home where police arrested a couple on Sunday accused of holding 13 children captive in Perris, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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