If this turtle is kept as a pet, it's important that it have the proper environment, or it will be miserable, get sick and die. There's plenty of free turtle care info on the net (try About.com for starters). Print out a fact sheet for these folks (at the very least). The turtle deserves it.

Turtles need a specific amount of space, light, and heat. If this is an aquatic turtle (most flat shelled turtles are) like a painted or a slider, they can't eat unless their food is in water. Aquatic turtles need water in their habitat, and also need a place they can dry out, or they'll grow fungus. I could go on, being the turtle daddy that I am.

It's pretty easy to care for a turtle once you know the "rules". Let us know how it turns out. Who knows? That turtle might wind up as the POTD one day. Good luck.