The 13 Perris children who authorities say suffered stunted growth because of torture and neglect by their parents likely face a long rehabilitation, both physically and psychologically, an expert suggested. 
 
 Sophia Grant, medical director of the child abuse and neglect unit at Riverside University Health System, has not treated the children. But at a Riverside County sheriff’s news conference Tuesday, Jan. 16, she spoke about similar cases. 
 
 At the half-hour briefing, where media crowded shoulder-to-shoulder into a conference room at the Perris sheriff’s station, the girl who snuck out of the home and alerted authorities was praised for her bravery. 
 
 Also, the CEO of the hospital where the seven adults — initially mistaken for minors because of their malnutrition — are being treated said the patients “feel safe” and are stable. 
 
 And a sheriff’s captain promised a “meticulous investigation” but couldn’t provide any new insights into what motivated David Allen Turpin, 56, and Louise Ann Turpin, 49, to treat their children a way that resulted in the couple’s arrest Sunday. 
 
 The parents remained jailed Tuesday with bail set at $9 million each. Unless they post bail, under state law they must be charged by Thursday or freed from jail. 
 
 Meanwhile, neighbors on Muir Woods Road in the suburban Riverside County city continued to express shock about the case, which has drawn media interest from such far-flung locales as New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. 
 
 Also Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Department cautioned well-meaning people to donate to fundraising websites for the children with caution. Some may be phony. 
 
 Physical, psychological damage 
 
 Deputies who discovered the six minors and seven adults Sunday inside the dark, smelly home initially believed that all 13 were minors because they appeared so small. Three were chained and padlocked to furniture, authorities said. 
 
 Grant indicated that in cases like this, such poor health would not have occurred in a short time. 
 
 Stunting of growth, in general, would have been caused by malnourishment over “a prolonged period,” Grant said. 
 
 The recovery will be gradual, she said. 
 
 “You can imagine the post-traumatic stress disorder if you’ve been deprived of nutrition, if you’ve been deprived of normal childhood activities, normal interactions and the people who should have been providing for you have failed to do so — that is going to cause some psychological damage,” Grant said. 
 
 “Children who have been malnourished over a prolonged period will have growth stunting, will have nutritional deficiencies, they can suffer complications if you try to feed them, so it requires close monitoring of them when introducing proper nutrition to these kids. … The psychological support is going to be ongoing and longterm.” 
 
 The adults – five women and two men — are being treated at Corona Regional Medical Center and are being kept together and guarded by security. 
 
 Hospital CEO Mark Uffer said he could not describe their conditions other than “stable” because of privacy laws. He described them as friendly and cooperative. 
 
 “I think they feel safe,” he said. “I believe they are hopeful that life will get better for them.” 
 
 Uffer said he had never seen a case like this. 
 
 “It’s hard to think of them as adults when you first see them. They’re small and it’s very clear that they’re (malnourished). … The way my staff has responded, I think they were horrified. I think they are very focused on improving the quality of their existence.” 
 
 The minors are being treated at Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley. 
 
 What’s next? 
 
 Susan von Zabern, director of the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, said the county plans to go to court to get authorization to oversee and care for the children. 
 
 The minors could be placed with relatives after background checks, she said at the news conference. The adults’ needs will be assessed and they will be offered services. 
 
 Child Protective Services had never visited the home, von Zabern said. 
 
 She urged people to report suspicions of abuse and neglect. 
 
 The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department also had not previously been called to the Turpins’ home, said Capt. Greg Fellows, the commander of the Perris station. 
 
 Investigators plan to dig into their background and want to know when the alleged mistreatment of their children began and what the motive was. 
 
 “We’re going to conduct a meticulous investigation and we’re going to get answers to all these questions,” Fellows said at the news conference. 
 
 He added that sheriff’s officials believe that the couple are the biological parents of all 13 children. 
 
 The Turpins have lived in Perris since about 2014, Fellows said. Before that, they lived in Murrieta, and before that in Texas. 
 
 Media in Texas have reported that the Turpins lived in Tarrant and Johnson counties. There were no records of criminal cases involving the Turpins in those counties. CPS officials in Texas had no contact with the Turpins, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. 
 
 James and Betty Turpin of West Virginia told ABC News that their son David and his wife had so many children because “God called on them.” In a brief statement to the Southern California News Group, they said they knew nothing about any mistreatment. 
 
 Girl’s courage praised 
 
 The secrets being kept inside the four-bedroom, three-bathroom, 2,388-square-foot home were revealed Sunday when a 17-year-old girl escaped through a window carrying a cellphone she snatched. Fellows described it as “deactivated,” but many phones allow someone to call 911 even when they’re locked or not activated. 
 
 When deputies arrived, the girl – who they thought looked about 10 years old – showed them photos that convinced them her 12 siblings were being held captive. 
 
 “We do need to acknowledge the courage of the young girl who escaped from that residence to bring attention so they could get the help they so needed,” said Fellows, who said he did not have any additional details on the escape. 
 
 Not far from the station, Muir Woods Road residents were still in disbelief that such a sensational case could unfold in their neighborhood. 
 
 “It still feels like a dream, it’s not reality,” Perris resident Ricardo Ross said Tuesday, adding: “I woke up this morning and it’s just devastating. Devastating news.” 
 
 Rosemberg Salgado has lived across the street from the Turpins since August 2016. 
 
 “You would have never thought in this kind of neighborhood you could find out that there was some people who can do that to kids,” he said. “That is just insane and crazy.” 
 
 The Turpins apparently lived largely out of sight. For one, they had been teaching six of their children in a private, in-home, state registered school, Sandcastle Day School, of which David Turpin was listed as principal. 
 
 The state Department of Education said in a statement Tuesday that under California law, the agency does not have the authority to monitor or inspect private schools. 
 
 State Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside), in emailed statement Tuesday, called for more oversight of private and home schools. 
 
 “I am extremely concerned,” he said. 
 
 Staff writers Shane Newell, Craig Shultz, Christopher Haire, Roxana Kopetman, Beatriz E. Valenzuela and Richard K. De Atley contributed to this report. 
 
 Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct David Turpin’s age and Louise Turpin’s middle name. ||||| Riverside, California (CNN) A California district attorney painted a horrible picture of physical and emotional abuse as he announced torture charges Thursday against a Riverside County couple accused of keeping their 13 children captive and malnourished in their home. 
 
 David Turpin, 56, and Louise Turpin, 49, were charged with 12 counts of torture, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. David Turpin also was charged with a lewd act on a child by force or fear of duress. 
 
 "This is severe, emotional, physical abuse. ... This is depraved conduct," the prosecutor said. 
 
 Of the victims, Hestrin said: "They're relieved. ... Their health is being looked at. They're in good hands. As far as where they're going to end up, I don't know." 
 
 The 13 siblings range in age from 2 to 29. Six are minors. 
 
 Other charges for the parents include seven counts of abuse of a dependent adult, six counts of child abuse or neglect and 12 counts of false imprisonment. 
 
 The Turpins each pleaded not guilty on all counts when they were arraigned Thursday afternoon. A judge set bail at $12 million for each defendant. The Turpins' next court date is February 23. 
 
 If convicted of all charges, they could face a maximum sentence of between 94 years and life in prison. 
 
 "What we would like the public to know is that our clients are presumed to be innocent, and that's a very important presumption," David Macher, a public defender for David Turpin, told reporters. 
 
 When asked about the number of counts and the nature of the charges, Macher said: "It's going to be a challenge." 
 
 Allegations of increasing abuse 
 
 The allegations cover the time the Turpins have lived in California, but Hestrin said the abuse started while the family lived in Texas. 
 
 It "started out as neglect" and became severe, pervasive child abuse, getting worse when the family came west, Hestrin said. 
 
 Most of the children were severely malnourished and, as a result, some have cognitive impairment, he said while describing the conditions the siblings reportedly endured 
 
 The physical abuse included beatings, chokings, and children being tied up for long periods, Hestrin said. 
 
 "Punishment would last weeks or even months at a time," Hestrin said. 
 
 The children were fed on a schedule but only the 2-year-old appeared to get enough food, the prosecutor said, adding that he was not charging torture in the case of the toddler. 
 
 Besides suffering severe caloric malnutrition associated with muscle wasting, several have cognitive impairment and "neuropathy, which is nerve damage, as a result of this extreme and prolonged physical abuse," Hestrin said. 
 
 Pointing to the children's malnourishment, Hestrin said that a 12-year-old has the weight of an average 7-year-old, and a 29-year-old daughter weighs 82 pounds. 
 
 David Allen Turpin, 56, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49. 
 
 The parents would buy food and apparently let the children see it, but not eat it. This included pies left on the counter, Hestrin said. 
 
 The children were allowed to write in journals, and hundreds have been taken into evidence. 
 
 Teen escaped and called 911, police say 
 
 The Turpins have been in police custody since Sunday after authorities were called to their house in Perris, southeast of Los Angeles. 
 
 Investigators arrived at the home, they say, after a 17-year-old girl crawled out of a window at the home Sunday morning and called 911 using a deactivated cellphone she had grabbed from the house. 
 
 Hestrin said Thursday that the girl had been working on an escape plan with her siblings for more than two years. The girl initially escaped with another sibling, but that sibling became frightened and returned home, he said. 
 
 When police arrived, three of the children may have been shackled to their beds, Hestrin said. The parents unchained two of them, he alleged. 
 
 Investigators found the Turpins' children inside a filthy home "in dark and foul-smelling surroundings," the sheriff's department said earlier this week. 
 
 The mother was "perplexed as to why" authorities came to her home, Riverside County Sheriff's Capt. Greg Fellows said Tuesday. 
 
 "If you can imagine being 17 years old and appearing to be a 10-year-old, being chained to a bed, being malnourished and injuries associated with that, I would call that torture," Fellows said. 
 
 Parents 'kept them away from everybody' 
 
 The family had lived in Perris since 2014. 
 
 Those who tried to speak to the children over the years say they were rebuffed. 
 
 A neighbor of the Turpins when they lived in Texas told KTVT that the couple "kept them away from everybody." When that neighbor asked one of the children her name, the girl said they weren't allowed to tell people their names, according to the TV station. 
 
 In 2015, Kimberly Milligan, a neighbor of the Turpins in California, said she was with her son checking out Christmas decorations on nearby homes. Some of the older Turpin children were putting up a Nativity scene outside their house, and she complimented their decorations. 
 
 They seemed "scared to death," she said. "You could tell they were terrified." 
 
 Milligan said the children were thin and appeared malnourished. 
 
 What could be next for the 13 siblings 
 
 The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services is seeking court authorization to provide oversight and care for the 13 siblings "to the extent that's necessary," von Zabern said. 
 
 "At this point, we'll be doing a full assessment with medical professionals to better understand needs of the adults as well as the children, and we'll be prepared to provide supportive services as well as engage other agencies in assisting these individuals to be stable," she told reporters Tuesday. 
 
 When asked if they would go to live with family members, von Zabern said the practice is to identify relatives who are able to provide care, as long as they pass background checks and are suitable and stable. But at the time of the Tuesday press conference, she said no relatives had come forward. 
 
 Of the 13 siblings, the adults are being treated at Corona Regional Medical Center in Corona, and the six children are under care at Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley. 
 
 "It's hard to think of them as adults," Mark Uffer, Corona Regional Medical Center CEO, said Tuesday. "When you see them, they're small. They're stable. They're being fed." 
 
 CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct the age of David Turpin. He is 56. ||||| After what is described as a lifetime of imprisonment in a cramped, squalid home near Riverside, California, seven of the 13 siblings who were allegedly held captive by their parents got their first taste of freedom last week, ABC News has exclusively learned. 
 
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 The newly freed siblings -- who are now adults -- were discretely whisked away Thursday from the Corona Regional Medical Center, where they had been nursed back to health after police rescued them in January. After being described as on the brink of starvation, the survivors were taught the basics about a world police say they never quite experienced. 
 
 But now, the young adults, ages 18 to 29, were taken by their attorney and public guardian from the carefully controlled ward of the hospital to an undisclosed rural house they now call home. 
 
 David Allen Turpin/Facebook 
 
 ABC News has interviewed several people who’ve spent time with the siblings -- whose lives until recently had been lived in near-complete isolation. Their native intelligence, coupled with their naiveté and complete lack of guile, makes them utterly charming, say those who’ve interacted with them. 
 
 Their lawyer, Jack Osborn, who specializes in clients with special needs, described it as their birth into the real world. 
 
 “The adult siblings want to be known as survivors, not victims,” said Osborn. 
 
 It’s the reason he said they don’t dwell on their anger, but on the long process of recovery ahead. 
 
 David Allen Turpin/Facebook 
 
 “They're joyful, warm, considerate. It's not all about them. They want to hear what's going on with you and me and my family," he said. "It's just really fun. It's fun to be around them. Of course, they're really full of joy about their life and the things they get to experience right now." 
 
 Gina Ferazzi, Pool via Getty Images 
 
 David and Louise Turpin, the parents of the children, are accused of abusing them, including shackling and starving them routinely, authorities said. The victims weren't released from their chains even to go to the bathroom, prosecutors have charged. 
 
 Riverside County Sheriffs Department 
 
 All the children except for the youngest, a toddler, were severely malnourished, prosecutors said. The eldest victim -- a 29-year-old woman -- weighed only 82 pounds when rescued, according to authorities. 
 
 ABC News has learned through several sources with access to the siblings and interviews with police and social services that what little food the siblings ate was predominately frozen food at home. 
 
 Frederic J. Brown, Pool via AP 
 
 The parents were arrested in January after the couple's 17-year-old daughter scrambled out of their home's front window, called 911, and showed police pictures of her siblings in shackles, said the District Attorney Mike Hestrin. That 17-year-old had somehow accessed the internet in the weeks before her harrowing escape. ABC News has discovered that she had accounts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube -- where she performed what she called original songs with titles like “Where is the Key?” 
 
 David and Louise Turpin each face dozens of counts of torture, false imprisonment and child endangerment. Prosecutors say they would punish infractions like washing above the wrist with punishments like being hogtied or being shackled to a bed, sometimes for months at a time. 
 
 Now, the seven siblings who are free have enjoyed getting relative privacy for the first time in their lives -– including receiving their own bedding and having their own closet space, Osborn said. 
 
 In their first 24 hours since their release from the hospital, the older siblings picked citrus for the first time. They also made their first ice cream sundaes and prepared Mexican food, apparently all firsts, Osborn added. 
 
 “They pretty much love any food that is fresh. They love fruit, pasta and soup,” said Osborn. 
 
 Mark Uffer, the chief executive officer of the Corona Regional Medical Center, where some of the siblings were being treated, confirmed to ABC News in a statement that the Turpin siblings had been discharged from their facilities. 
 
 Uffer added that they "wish these brave siblings continued strength as they take the next steps in their journey." 
 
 Beyond tasting new food, the siblings spend their time doing various kinds of occupational, physical and psychological therapy. They also watch movies. A lot of them. 
 
 Osborn believes they didn’t have much access to movies despite their parents’ trove of thousands of DVDs. The siblings' favorite movies so far have been anything associated with the "Star Wars" series. 
 
 While several of them have been of driving age for about a decade, their lawyer says none has ever driven a car. Trips in a vehicle at all seemed to be a rarity, Osborn said. 
 
 The prospect of driving a car one day was, in fact, so novel that the boys joked that they’d need to wear football helmets for safety. 
 
 Meanwhile, the siblings are aware of their parents’ legal jeopardy, but have no idea how much interest their story has drawn, Osborn said. 
 
 He added that they all hope to lead normal lives, with spouses and careers, including being nurses and doctors. 
 
 “Some asked whether they could be nurses without having to give injections or seeing much blood,” he said, smiling. 
 
 His clients, he said, “want to be independent." 
 
 "They want to do things for themselves and they want to start having independent lives where they're responsible for themselves," he added. "That's the goal and that's what everyone is working toward.” 
 
 ABC News' Duan Perrin contributed to this report
– The 13 siblings rescued from captivity in a California home were so badly treated that mental and physical recovery is likely to take a very long time, experts say. Corona Regional Medical Center CEO Mark Uffer says his staff was horrified by the condition of the seven adults in the group, who were so malnourished that they were mistaken for children. Sophia Grant, medical director of the child abuse unit at Riverside University Health System, tells the Press-Enterprise that such stunting of growth would have required malnourishment over a long period. She says recovery will be a gradual process for the siblings, who have likely suffered psychological damage from being deprived of normal interaction and from being mistreated by the parents who were supposed to provide for them. In other developments: Home-schooling. Father David Turpin, a former engineer at the Northrop Grumman aerospace company registered to run a private school out of his home, was required only to submit a form every year. Advocates for greater oversight of home-schooling in California say the abuse could have been exposed much earlier if the children had been required to have annual checkups from doctors and teachers, the Los Angeles Times reports. "Current law provides nothing to stop families like the Turpins from using home-schooling to isolate and imprison their children," says Rachel Coleman of the Coalition for Responsible Home Education.