Louise Turpin, the mother accusing of starving and torturing her 13 children, aspired to be like Kate Gosselin with a reality show that focused on their large family, according to Turpin’s brother.
“She used to say how they would be perfect for TV and would often mention they would be bigger than the reality show Kate Plus 8,” Billy Lambert told The Mirror earlier this month. “She thought the world would be fascinated by their lives.”
Lambert added that Louise and her husband, David Turpin, relocated their family from Texas to Perris, California, to be closer to Hollywood. He also claimed that Louise confided in him last month that she and David, 57, were planning to have another baby. “They thought they would make millions and become household names,” he said.
As previously reported, police discovered 13 malnourished siblings — ages 2 to 29 — allegedly held captive in Louise’s four-bedroom ranch-style home. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the children were “shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks in dark and foul-smelling surroundings.”
Officers were alerted to the situation when one of the victims, a 17-year-old female who appeared to be only age 10, jumped out a window and called 911 using a cellphone found inside the home.
Speaking with Inside Edition on January 22, Lambert said that the Turpins dressing their kids in identical outfits for public outings was all part of their plan to become reality stars. The program reported that hundreds of DVDs were found in the family’s garage, including seasons of Kate Plus 8.
David and Louise fed their 13 kids one meal a day and allowed them to shower twice a year, according to authorities.
The couple pleaded not guilt to torture and other charges on January 19. They face up to 94 years to life in prison if convicted of all the charges.
The Riverside University Health Foundation is collecting money for the Turpin siblings.
