Perris Torture: City Failed To Inspect House, Report Says

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA -- The city of Perris failed to check the in-home school where 13 victims were reportedly tortured by their parents. The Associated Press reported that California law requires homes that provide schooling be checked by a fire marshal.

The country was rocked this week when the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced that 13 people, six of whom are children, were tortured by their biological parents. In the coming days, officials revealed the children were chained to furniture, deprived of food and weren't allowed to take showers. They were tortured for a "prolonged period," officials said.

Parents David Allen Turpin, 56, and his wife, Louise Ann Turpin, 49, pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of torture and false imprisonment, as well as six counts of child abuse and seven counts of cruelty to a dependent adult. David Turpin, a former aerospace engineer, is additionally charged with one count of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old. Their bail is set at $9 million each.

Officials told the public this week that they never received calls about abused children in the home. The victims weren't discovered until one of their siblings, a 17-year-old girl, escaped from the home and called 911.

Associated Press reported California doesn't require checks to in-home schools, which could have saved the children who were listed to be educated by their parents at their Perris home, which was registered as Sandcastle Day School with David Turpin as the principal.

"No state agency regulates or oversees private schools in California, but they are subject to an annual inspection by the state or local fire marshal," the Associated Press reported.

"The city could find no records of fire inspections, Perris Assistant City Clerk Judy Haughney said in response to a public records request by AP. City Fire Marshal Dave Martinez did not return repeated phone messages seeking comment."

The child victims are undergoing medical treatment at Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley, while the adults are receiving care at Corona Regional Medical Center. Representatives from the facilities said they're being gradually restored to health.

"They're comfortable and in a very secure environment," Corona Regional Medical Center CEO Mark Uffer said. "They've been through a very traumatic ordeal, but they're very friendly, very cooperative and hopeful life will get better for them after this event."

David and Louise Turpin are expected back in court on Feb. 23 for a felony settlement conference.

--City News Service contributed to this report

--PHOTO CREDIT: Jan. 15 photo of a home where a couple was arrested after police discovered that 13 people had been held captive in filthy conditions with some shackled to beds with chains and padlocks, January 15, 2018 in Perris California. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

Also See:

• Perris Torture Case: 5 Things To Know
• Perris 'House of Horror' Parents Plead Not Guilty
• 13 Victims Rescued In Perris Were Tortured For 'Prolonged Period'
• California Parents Accused Of Torturing Their 13 Children
• Torture in Perris: The Signs of Abuse And What To Do