I just joined this site, because I felt I HAD to say something. I have been reading about this case for the past several days and reading the posts here. I have heard about a lot of horrible things in my lifetime, but this has to REALLY gotten to me. I'm completely torn up and feel sick. I can't comprehend the unimaginable pain and fear these poor kids have suffered through their entire lives.
And yes, they are ALL KIDS. The so-called "adults" are only adults in a chronological sense. In every other way, they are children - physically, emotionally, and cognitively. They were starved and horrifically tortured and stunted. Their passage from childhood to young adulthood was spent in chains. Most other people spent their 21st birthday partying with their friends...these kids very likely spent it in agony, being chained to a bed and begging their sociopathic parents for food. I feel heartbroken for all of the kids, but in a way I really do feel even worse for the young adults. I have seen unblurred pictures of the kids, and when I see the older ones and how small and frail they are, I have to think of all the many years of starvation and torture they must have suffered to get to that point. I'm about to cry again as I'm writing this.
When everything is known, I honestly, truly believe that this will wind up being the worst case of child abuse ever reported. At least in the US. I did read about the Genie case which I think some people were talking about earlier, but in my opinion this is much worse because these kids suffered through DECADES of active, deliberate abuse and torture.
The parents (monsters) are pure evil. They weren't "mentally ill." Their actions showed that they deliberately caused the children pain because they WANTED to see them in pain. They starved the poor kids to near death, watching them suffer in agony, and then put food in front of them that they wouldn't let them eat. That is SADISTIC. I believe they genuinely hated the kids and enjoyed seeing them in pain. I agree with what some other people here have said about how the mother probably only liked babies and constantly wanted babies to have as a little "doll," but then didn't want the children anymore as they grew up. Then she began to despise them because they were in her way or somehow intruding on whatever sick fantasies she had. That would explain why it looks as though the older kids were abused the worst. She wanted to punish them for even existing.
I saw a picture of the kids sitting on a couch wearing red shirts and jeans and they're all barefoot. I think that picture was taken at the house in Perris, because to me it looks like the same backyard seen in the window behind them. The patio chairs and table look the same. The rooms looks surprisingly clean, so I'm thinking this must be from when they first moved there. If so, the picture would have been taken around 2014. That picture is absolutely heartbreaking to me though. The kids all look pale (as always), and I can tell you that
I definitely see very obvious bruises or scars on their feet. A couple of people commented on this earlier, and yes I absolutely see it too. It's on the bony part of their ankles (I forget the term). Several of the kids have those marks on their feet. They look like two bruises evenly spaced apart. It's probably from whatever chains or shackles the monsters put on the kids. Also, on the far right, you can tell that the boy is so weak that he can barely sit up. Also remember that he would have been in his early 20's at that time...and yet, he looks like a little kid. A very sick, frail little boy. The thought that the "parents" made those kids pose in a staged photo like that to try look like a normal family, while they were so weak and sick is...I'm hearbroken and disgusted beyond words. The fact that they put shackles on that poor kid that was already sick and suffering...I can't even think of it anymore.
I'm sorry this post was so long. I had to get all of this off my chest. I've been crying and feeling nauseous the past several days, I can't stop thinking of these poor kids and haven't been able to sleep.
