'Torture parents' David and Louise Turpin face further abuse charges
Tehran (KNA) - A mother and father accused of holding their 13 children captive in California have appeared in court to deny further charges of child abuse.
David and Louise Turpin were arrested in January after their emaciated 17-year-old daughter called police, saying she had escaped from the family home in Perris, southeast of Los Angeles.
Officers who arrived at the house said they found the girl's siblings suffering from malnourishment, muscle wasting and other signs of severe abuse. Some were shackled, authorities said.
David, 57, and Louise Turpin, 49, entered not guilty pleas to torture and a string of other charges relating to the children, who are aged between two and 29.
They are being held on $12 million bail.A spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney's office said new charges included three counts of child abuse against both defendants.
Source: SkyNews