Diane Sawyer and ABC News Studios are producing “Turpins: The New House of Horrors – A Diane Sawyer Special Event,” which will air on ABC on February 3 at 10pm ET. The hour-long interview will be streamed the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
The Turpin case made headlines in 2018 when 13 children, ranging in age from 2 to 29, and their adult dependents were rescued from their parents’ home in Perris, California.
Sawyer interviewed for the first time two of the Turpin daughters, including Jordan Turpin, who first reported the incident to police in 2021. Our next feature will tell the stories of three Turpin brothers who, after their parents’ incarceration, face abuse again and speak out for the first time about their experiences in the foster care system.
In January 2018, 17-year-old Jordan Turpin ran away and called 911 after hearing his parents discussing the family’s move to Oklahoma. Police searched the residence and found disturbing evidence including human feces, rotting garbage, dead pets, and moldy food. The other 12 children were found with bruises on their arms, looking weak, caked in dirt, and some shackled to their beds.
His parents, David and Louise Turpin, were sentenced in December 2019 to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The couple were charged with 12 counts of torture, 12 counts of false imprisonment, seven counts of dependent abuse, and six counts of child abuse, and David was charged with an additional count of indecency with a child under 14.
Sawyer’s first interview, “Escape from the House of Horrors,” drew more than 7 million viewers on its first broadcast. “Turpins: The New House of Horror – Diane Sawyer Special Event” is produced by ABC News Studios. David Sloan is senior executive producer and Christina Ng is executive producer.
The key art for the special is:
Here’s the first look:
