A son and daughter of the California house of horrors couple have given emotional victim impact statements in court as their parents sobbed and were sentenced to life in prison for inflicting years of torture and abuse on their 13 children.

David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise, 50, were both sentenced on Friday to life in prison with possibility of parole in 25 years after pleading guilty to neglect and abuse of 12 of their 13 children.

Two of their adult children, Jennifer, 30, and Joshua, 27, read victim impact statements to the court as they spoke publicly for the first time since being freed from their filthy home in January 2018.

Their parents broke down in tears as they listened to their children speak of the nightmares of being chained, beaten and starved in their home.

'My parents took my whole life from me but now I'm taking my life back,' Jennifer said shakily as she was comforted by a Labrador support dog called Raider. 'I saw my dad change my mom. They almost changed me, but I realized what was happening.

'I believe everything happens for a reason. Life may have been bad, but it made me strong. I fought to become the person I am. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket.'

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David and Louise Turpin wept in court on Friday as two of their children spoke publicly for the first time about the abuse they endured in the California house of horrors

The couple pleaded guilty in February to 14 felony counts of abusing and imprisoning their children in their home in Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles

Key moments in the Turpins' emotional sentencing hearing:

· Their daughter Jennifer, 30, read a victim impact statement saying her 'parents took her whole life' from her

· Son Joshua, 27, said he still has nightmares about him and his siblings being chained up or beaten

· David and Louise wept as they listened to their children speaking about the abuse in public for the first time

· Daughter Joy defended her parents in a statement that was read out in court, saying 'our parents didn't know we were malnourished'

· The couple addressed the court and apologized for harming their children

· Judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders to prevent Turpins contacting their children from prison

· Judge sentenced them to life in prison with possibility of parole in 25 years

Dressed in a black headband with short brown hair, a navy blue cardigan and dark jeans, the daughter revealed she was now at college and living independently.

'I love hanging out with my friends and life is great,' she said.

Her brother, dressed in a grey shirt and black jeans and tie, said he still has nightmares about him and his siblings being chained up or beaten.

'That is the past and this is now. I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things that they did to us,' he said. 'I have learned so much and become very independent.'

The son, who is studying to be a software engineer at college, revealed he had learned to ride a bike, swim and cook healthy meals.

The couple's son also read a statement from his sister Jessica, saying: 'Although it may not have been the best way of raising us I'm glad that they did because it made me the person I am today.

'I just want to thank them for teaching me about God and faith… God looks at the heart and I know he sees theirs,' she said, adding that she was now at college full-time and living in an apartment.

My parents took my whole life from me but now I'm taking my life back. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket. Daughter Jennifer Turpin

One of their other daughters, Joy, had a statement read to the court begging the judge to give a lighter sentence because 'they believed everything they did was to protect us.'

'I want the court to know that our parents love each other and love each of their children,' the girl's statement read.

The girl wrote that her mother 'didn't want to use rope or chain' but was 'afraid' her children were 'taking in too much sugar and caffeine'.

'The reason our parents didn't stop buying the soda was because father needed it for work. He would fall asleep driving and got in an accident. They didn't know what else to do. I believe our parents feared if they asked for help they would lose their children,' she said.

'Our parents didn't know we were malnourished. They thought we all got the gene from our mother because she was so small. I remember mother saying 'God has blessed us with healthy children.'

The girl asked the judge to place the parents in a detention center nearby so that she would be able to visit them and asked for a restraining order to be lifted so she could speak to them via phone.

David and Louise also addressed the court and apologized for harming their children.

'I thank god for all of my children. Each one of them is a blessing from God,' David said. 'My homeschooling discipline had good intentions. I never meant any harm to come to my children.

'I hope and pray that my children can look out for each other since their mother and father cannot be there with them. I miss all my children and will be praying for them… I long for the opportunity to have contact with them again.'

His wife added: 'I'm sorry for everything I've done to my children. I love my children so much, I'm blessed to be the mother of each one of them. Their happiness is very important to me.

'I want them to know mom and dad are going to be okay. I believe God has a special plan for each of them... I love them more than they could ever imagine.'

As they read their statements, the two Turpin children were comforted by a gold-colored Labrador support dog called Raider, brought into the court by two Corona Police Department officers

David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise, 50, were both sentenced on Friday to life in prison with possibility of parole after 25 years

They were rarely allowed outside but went out on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas where David and Louise renewed their wedding vows on multiple occasions

THE VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS FROM THE TURPIN CHILDREN: Jennifer Turpin: My parents took my whole life from me, but now I'm taking my life back. I'm in college now and living independently. I love eating out with my friends and life is great. I believe everything happens for a reason. Life may have been bad but it made me strong. I fought to become the person I am. I saw my dad change my mom. They almost changed me, but I realized what was happening. I did everything I could to not become like them. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket. Joshua Turpin: I cannot describe in words what we went through growing up. Sometimes I still have nightmares of things that have happened, such as my siblings being chained up or beaten. But that is the past and this is now. I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things they did to us. Since January I have learned so much and become very independent. In June of last year, I learned how to ride a bike and ever since then I've been hooked and I ride everywhere, such as to school, the store, or sometimes I just go on long rides, which I enjoy so much. I live in an apartment and go to a nearby college. I'm getting a bachelor's degree in software engineering. After I get my bachelor's degree I'm going to get a job as a software engineer and go to school part time to get my master's degree. I've also learned how to advocate for myself, how to swim, how to eat healthy and prepare a balanced meal. I've also been learning how to manage money right. Jessica Turpin: (statement read by her brother) I love both my parents so much. Although it may not have been the best way of raising us, I am glad that they did because it made me the person I am today. I just want to thank them for teaching me about God and faith. I hope that they never lose their faith. God looks at the heart and I know he sees theirs. I pray often for them. I am doing well. I am going to college full time, I have an apartment and I am able to transport myself independently by bus, bike or walking. We are not supposed to necessarily understand God's will. But we are only to follow. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, my thoughts higher than your thoughts,' said the Lord, Isiah 55:9. Never lose faith. You are one of his sheep and he is constantly watching over his flock. I love you and I wanted you to know. P.S. God is all we need. Joy Turpin: (statement read by an attorney) I want the court to know that our parents love each other and love each of their children. People in Texas, even friends, said our parents were having too many children. Our parents didn't agree. They felt that God blessed them with all their children. So they kept away from the world and trusted God would guide them through life. Our mother wrote two small notes to our father. The first note reads: 'Always let god be in control of your life. We have a perfect life because God has always taken such good care of us. I am so thankful to God for this. I would love for us to pray together on a regular basis. Spend [SIC] more time with God will make our life more awesome.' The second note reads: 'Children are the most awesome gift ever. I've always known our precious and wonderful children are. When they are on their own it's even awesome. The best gifts ever.' Through the years things became more and more overwhelming but they kept trusting in God. I remember our mother sitting in our recliner crying and saying she don't [SIC] know what to do. She didn't want to use rope or chain but she was afraid her children were taking in too much sugar and caffeine. The reason our parents didn't stop buying the soda was because father needed it for work. He would fall asleep driving and got in an accident. They didn't know what else to do. I believe our parents feared if they asked for help they would lose their children. Our parents didn't know we were malnourished. They thought we all got the gene from our mother because she was so small. I remember mother saying 'God has blessed us with healthy children.' Our parents would get us pizza and Mexican food every other week, and sometimes more than once a week. Our mother would always tell us to let her know if we are still hungry and she will give us more. Their first child went to a public school. They started noticing she wasn't really learning much so mother started teaching her at home and saw a big difference. Our parents decided to start homeschooling all their children. It worked out good at first, but through the years it became very overwhelming. I believe our parents were afraid to put us in public school for many reasons. They felt that they put it on their hearts to home school. When we came to California, people treated us so much better, and people started telling us our family was a blessing. Our parents finally felt safe to start taking us out as a family. They got us annual passes to Disneyland, and took us to see the Grand Canyon, Flintstone Park, Vegas. Every year from as far back as I could remember, our parents tried to give us the nicest Christmas they could. They would get us what we wanted even if they couldn't afford it. They always tried to keep up with our birthdays every year too. Closer to the end things became more overwhelming again. I truly believe most of this was because our mother lost both her parents in 2016. I feel that 25 years is too long. I believe with all my heart that our parents tried their best to raise all 13 of us and they wanted to give us a good life. They believed everything they did was to protect us. If at all possible, I would really appreciate if the court would place our parents as close to the detention center they are in right now, so if we ever want to visit them we can. Also I want the restraining order lifted and I want to be allowed to talk to both my parents on the phone. Thank you for hearing my statement. Advertisement

Judge blasts the Turpins for 'selfish, cruel and inhumane treatment' of their children

In sentencing the couple, judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders preventing the Turpins from trying to contact their children from prison. The restraining orders will end at different times for each child, based on their age and whether they want to retain a relationship with their abusive parents.

'Children are indeed a gift. They're a gift to their parents, to their family, to their friends, and they're a gift to society,' Judge Schwartz told the Turpins.

'They're a gift to their parents in the sense that a parent should be joyful of firsts in their child's life. The first day of school, first job, marriage. All of those things should be enjoyed by the parent and child alike.

'But they're also a gift to society, because you don't know what a child is going to do when they've finished their schooling and seek their occupation. Maybe they'll become a scientist and discover a cure for some disease. Maybe they'll become a doctor or first responder and save someone's life.

'Maybe they'll enter the military and protect our country. Or maybe they'll just otherwise become a good citizen who makes the world a better place.

'I thank god for all of my children. Each one of them is a blessing from God. My homeschooling discipline had good intentions. I never meant any harm to come to my children. David Turpin

'The selfish, cruel and inhumane treatment of your children has deprived them, your family, friends, society and especially both of you of those gifts. Their lives have been permanently altered in their ability to learn and thrive.

'It delayed their mental, physical and emotional development. To the extent that they do thrive, and we've learnt today that a couple of them are, it will be not because of you both but in spite of you both.

'You have severed the ability to interact and raise your children, that you created and arrived to this world.

'The only reason that your punishment is less than the maximum time, in my opinion, is you accepted responsibility at an early stage in the proceedings, and spared your children the humiliation and the harm [of a trial].

'Any punishment that is given to you today will pale in comparison with the fact that you will not have an opportunity to spend your years as a normal parent would.'

The couple pleaded guilty in February to 14 felony counts of abusing and imprisoning 12 of their 13 children in their home in Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles. They were never convicted of harming their two-year-old child.

Their sentencing marks the culmination of a horrific case that has played out publicly for almost 16 months after being shrouded in secrecy for decades.

Louise Turpin was spotted smiling and laughing with an attorney before the sentencing proceedings got underway on Friday

In sentencing the couple, judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders preventing the Turpins from trying to contact their children from prison

In sentencing the couple, judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders preventing the Turpins from trying to contact their children from prison

Their home was neatly kept on the outside and neighbors rarely saw the children outside the home, but what was happening on the inside was a different story

The years of abuse only came to light in January 2018 when David and Louise's 17-year-old daughter Jordan jumped from a window of their filthy home and called 911 on a barely workable cellphone.

The brave teenager's phone call resulted in the 13 Turpin children being freed and landed their parents behind bars.

Following their arrests in January last year, horrific details began to emerge of the extent of torture, abuse and neglect that the children - aged between two and 29 at the time - had endured.

The 13 siblings have remained out of the public eye as their parents' case unfolded in court and they learned to adapt to normal life outside the confines of the house of horrors.

The abuse and neglect was so severe it stunted their children's growth, led to muscle wasting and left two of their daughters unable to bear children.

Before the 17-year-old managed to escape from the home, the Turpin family had lived largely out of view.

David had been an engineer for Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, while his wife Louise was listed as a housewife in a 2011 bankruptcy filing.

Their home was neatly kept on the outside and neighbors rarely saw the children outside the home.

But what was happening on the inside was a different story.

'I live in a family of 15 people and my parents are abusive': The chilling 911 call the brave 17-year-old daughter made after escaping

In the chilling 911 call placed by the 17-year-old daughter, she informed the dispatcher that she and her siblings were being abused and that their home was so filthy she sometimes struggled to breath.

The call lasted for 20 minutes because the girl struggled to work out her address because she had not been outside alone before.

'Okay, I live in a family of 15 people and my parents are abusive. They abuse us and my two little sisters right now are chained up. There's 13 kids and then a mother and a father,' she said in the 911 audio.

She went on to reveal that two of her sisters and one of her brothers were tied to their beds with chains.

The couple pleaded guilty in February to 14 felony counts of abusing and imprisoning their children in their home in Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles

The years of abuse only came to light in January 2018 when David and Louise's 17-year-old daughter Jordan jumped from a window in their filthy home and called 911 on a barely workable cellphone. She is pictured above singing in a video she managed to upload to YouTube

When asked for details about her location, the girl said: 'I've never been out. I don't go out much so I don't know anything about the streets or anything.'

The dispatcher then asked if anyone in the house would need to go to the hospital.

'I'm not sure. Sometimes we live in filth and sometimes I wake up and I can't breathe because because how dirty the house is,' she said.

The dispatcher responded: 'When was the last time you had a bath?'

'I don't know, almost a year ago. But sometimes I feel so dirty, I wash my face and I wash my hair,' the girl said.

After the dispatcher asked if anybody took medication at the house, the girl replied: 'Oh I don't know what medication is.'

The 17-year-old also told the dispatcher that she and her siblings didn't attend school.

'We don't do school. Our mother tells people we're home schooled... she has a fake private school set up but we don't really do school. I haven't finished first grade and I'm 17,' she said.

'I don't know much about my mother. She doesn't like us. She doesn't spend time with us ever.'

Sheriff's deputies met the girl and she led them to the house of horrors that she had described.

The brave teenager's phone call resulted in the 13 Turpin children being freed and landed their parents behind bars. Pictured above is authorities leading David and Louise away from the home in handcuffs

The couple were arrested in January 2018 after their 17-year-old daughter managed to escape from the home and call 911

Authorities found a 22-year-old son chained to a bed and two girls who had just been set free from their shackles.

The house was covered in filth and the stench of human waste was overwhelming.

The children had been deprived of food and were suffering from severe malnutrition, stunted growth and muscle wasting, including an 11-year-old girl who had arms the size of an infant.

Deputies testified that the children said they were only allowed to shower once a year. They were mainly kept in their rooms except for meals, which had been reduced from three to one per day, a combination of lunch and dinner.

The 17-year-old complained that she could no longer stomach peanut butter sandwiches - they made her gag.

The couple also were accused of taunting their children with pies and other food that they were forbidden to eat.

The children said they were beaten, caged and shackled to beds if they didn't obey their parents.

During various court appearances, photos were shown of the squalid conditions inside the home including images of soiled underwear, photos of children in chains and the cramped bunk beds where they were forced to sleep.

The Turpin offspring weren't allowed to play like normal children and were deprived of things other kids take for granted, including toys and games.

They were rarely allowed outside but went out on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas. They slept during the day and were active a few hours at night.

The children have remained out of the public eye since the arrest of their parents and the only glimpses of the Turpin offspring have been from old family pictures on vacation to Disneyland and Las Vegas

The 13 siblings have remained out of the public eye as their parents' case unfolded in court and they learned to adapt to normal life outside the confines of the house of horrors

Neighbors said they rarely saw the children and many had no idea there were youngster living in the home at all.

One neighbor, Wendy Martinez, said she once saw four of the children rolling on the grass outside the home at about 9pm but didn't realize they needed help.

'They were on their knees, four little kids, and they were just rolling on the grass. It was odd at that time of night,' she said at the time of the arrests.

'Their mother was in the archway... and I said, hi. There was like no movement, not even to look over to see who's saying hi.

'No movement, like if they were told not to speak to anybody.'

A former neighbor, Mike Clifford, said he had seen the children being marched in circles around their bedrooms late at night and said they had seemed 'robotic' when spoken to.

'It was military like. My wife would see two [of the girls], they looked like twins, maybe about 10 years old,' he said.

'She called them the clones. When she spoke to them, they were monotone, they spoke together. But we'd see them go to the mail and stuff.

'I guess the mother let them out to check the mail. Once a day.'

The Turpin family first lived in Texas from 1992 to 2010 before relocating to California. The owners who moved into their Fort Worth home after them claim the home was left in complete squalor. They say they found scratch marks on the back of doors and that the carpet was covered in disgusting dirt stains and filth

David's parents, James and Betty Turpin of West Virginia, have said their son and daughter-in-law were a deeply religious couple who home-schooled their children and required them to memorize Bible scripture.

Investigators found that the toddler had not been abused by David and Louise, but all of the children were hospitalized immediately after they were discovered.

The children, whose ages now range from 3 to 30, are in the care of child and adult protection agencies.

The seven adult children were living together and attending school in February when their parents pleaded guilty.

David and Louise Turpin had lived in a home in Fort Worth, Texas from around 1992 to 1999 before they lost it in a foreclosure and moved to California