Turpin Family Civil Lawsuits Settle, Prompting Major Reforms in Riverside County Child Welfare System

Two civil lawsuits filed on behalf of members of the Turpin family against the County of Riverside and foster care agency ChildNet have been settled prior to trial for a substantial, confidential amount, according to attorneys representing the family.

The cases, handled by Oakwood Legal Group and Booth Law, follow years of contentious litigation and result not only in significant financial compensation for the Turpin children and young adults, but also sweeping changes to Riverside County’s child welfare system.

Since the Turpin children came forward with their story -- and as a result of the investigation -- Riverside County and Child Protective Services have increased social worker staffing levels by more than 25 percent, revise policies governing where children are interviewed by CPS, and notify law enforcement earlier and more frequently when concerns of abuse arise.

Attorneys for the Turpin family say the reforms represent long-overdue steps toward improving child safety and were achieved because the Turpin children came forward and demanded accountability.

In a joint statement, Roger Booth of Booth Law and Elan Zektser of Oakwood Legal Group said, “Representing the Turpin children and young adults has been one of the greatest privileges of our careers. Their courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to protecting other foster children is extraordinary. We are beyond proud of them for standing up, speaking out, and forcing real change in a system that failed them.”

We’ll hear directly from the Turpin family’s attorney, as well as representatives from Riverside County and ChildNet, later in our evening newscasts. Make sure to tune in tour 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts for all the details.