Lee Kaplan of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is facing sexual assault charges after authorities removed twelve girls, ranging from 6 months to 18 years, from his home. According to the police affidavit, the 18-year-old is said to be the mother of a 3-year-old child and a 6-month-old child found at the house.
Local people had been suspicious of Kaplan for years, but neighbor Jen Betz finally called the Southhampton police to complain about the health and safety of the many kids who appeared to be living in his home. The woman told ABC 6, “I just wasn’t gonna let go. I saw a couple girls last week standing in the driveway. They just looked unhappy and sad and again in the blue dresses, and I’ve been telling my husband for years something isn’t right, something isn’t right.”
This story is horrifying enough with only those details, but more information about the teen girl revealed that she was essentially given to Kaplan as payment from her parents for help with their failing farm:
Officials say the teen’s father, 43-year-old Daniel Stoltzfus, told investigators he and his wife, 42-year-old Savilla Stoltzfus, did it after “researching the legality of it on the Internet.”
Stoltzfus said he knew his daughter was 14 when she first became pregnant, police say.
The couple sent nine of their other children to live with Kaplan after they lost their farm anyway. At this time, authorities have no evidence that any of the other nine girls had been sexually assaulted.
For three years now, Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus have been living in a rented farmhouse in rural Quarryville, Lancaster County.
The Stoltfzuses and Kaplan are being held in Bucks County jail on $1 million bail. The Stoltfzuses are charged with conspiracy for statutory assault and endangering the welfare of children.