David and Louise Turpin made an appearance in court on Aug. 3, after a River County judge ruled they would face trial with dozens of felony charges back in June.
However, the hearing was postponed to Aug. 31, due to a motion filed by the defendants’ attorneys, who are considering filing a demurrer. This could potentially reduce the number of charges, according to The Press-Enterprise.
David and Lousie Turpin were previously accused of torture, false imprisonment, child abuse, cruelty, and more, with a total of 91 felony charges, the media reported in June. They could face over 90 years in prison if convicted.
The couple was taken into custody by the police on January 14, 2018, when their 17-year-old daughter escaped and called 911. Officers later found several children shackled to beds in “dark and foul-smelling surroundings” in their home in Perris, Calif.
Upon investigation, David and Lousie were found to have 13 children with ages ranging from 2 to 29. They allegedly endured various forms of punishment and cruelty, such as eating once per day, taking a shower once a year, and others.
