Abby Fortner’s Reviews > The Family Next Door: The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the Thirteen Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue > Status Update

David and Louise ultimately pleaded guilty to fourteen felony counts each. There were so many charges against them that they had to drop over half of them. Their parents took away their childhood. It is evident how selfish they were with their money, home, and cars, knowing their actions were wrong, yet continuing them for an extended period. Jordan saved her siblings that day. Put her parents where they belong.

David Turpin and Louise Turpin got arrested, with their bail to be 9 million each. Finally, the kids got to the hospital to get back in shape, but revealed that they were below the weight percentile, and also stunted growth with all of them, but some worse due to chaining them up for months. Jordan and a lot of the others had to get speech impediment class and education, too.

After the dispatch call, numerous law enforcement officers arrived at the house, shocked by the children's living conditions. The area was filled with dirt, food remnants, and animal feces, resembling a jungle. They found the kids chained to their beds. Most officers could even stand to be there just for a few minutes due to the pungent smell.

Jordan Turpin, one of the oldest siblings, decided to escape after meeting an Indian man online. She shared details about how her family treated her and her siblings, which prompted her to call 911. While on the call, she was asked for her address, but she didn't know it because she had never left the house on her own. With her education being at a first-grade level, she could barely speak in complete sentences.

After moving to California, Louise's parents passed away within a few months. Louise's siblings both wanted her to attend the funerals, but sadly, she did not. Jennifer lent Jordan her cell phone, watching Justin Bieber, and got caught by Louise. She ended up choking Jordan out, leaving her sore for a couple of days. They moved again between Los Angeles and San Diego.

The Turpin kids finally got to play with the neighbors' kids, but it didn't last long after Louise and David found out that Ricky's wife was asking what their names were and who their parents were; they never got to play with them again, making the rules even stricter in the Turpins' house. The kids couldn't go outside anymore; they were only allowed to leave once to eat something or go to the bathroom, nothing else.

David and Louise welcomed their 10th child after deciding to move farther out into the middle of nowhere in Texas. When they finally settled in, they wanted to minimize human interactions with their neighbors. However, Ricky and his wife were thrilled to discover that the Turpins had kids the same age as theirs. When they began visiting the Turpins' house, no one answered the door.

Finally, Louise had enough when she got to high school. She and David made a plan to run off and get married together. All she wanted was a rich and happy life. Both of her parents at the time disagreed, but they went through with it.

The book explores their family histories, discussing how each of them was raised. David and Louise have known each other since they were kids because their families were friends. In fact, David even held Louise as a baby. As they grew older, David began to develop feelings for Louise when she was just 10 years old, and he was 17. Louise and her sister were molested by their grandfather.