A California man, Marcelino Olguin, 65, was sentenced to seven years in prison for abusing foster children he had been assigned to care for in his home. The sentencing took place in a courtroom in Riverside after Olguin pleaded guilty to lewd acts on a child, false imprisonment, and injuring a child. His wife, Rosa, and adult daughter, Lennys, also pleaded guilty to child cruelty and were each sentenced to four years of formal probation.
Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin stated, “Today’s sentencing marks a significant step in delivering justice to the victims who endured unimaginable abuse. These children were placed in a position of vulnerability after surviving intense trauma, only to be further exploited by someone who was entrusted with their care.”
The Olguin family was responsible for caring for the children after they were rescued from abusive conditions in their parents’ home in Perris, California. The children had been subjected to torture and abuse by their parents, David and Louise Turpin, who were sentenced to life in prison in 2019.
One of the Turpin children, who had stayed with the Olguins, expressed disappointment in not receiving the loving family environment they had hoped for. The child, still in recovery, forgave the family as an act of faith.
A report highlighted the failure of the social service system in protecting the Turpin children, who were rescued after a 17-year-old sibling escaped and called 911. Six of the children were placed with the Olguins, where they allegedly faced further abuse.
Attorneys representing some of the Turpin children filed a civil lawsuit against Riverside County, accusing the Olguins of physical and emotional abuse. The lawsuit detailed instances of physical violence, forced ingestion of vomit, and emotional trauma inflicted on the children.
While some allegations were deemed exaggerated by the defense attorneys, a resolution was reached that spared the Olguin women from prison time. The attorneys emphasized that the resolution was in the best interest of all parties involved.
