Questions why action wasn’t taken sooner on man with 12 girls

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A neighbor said she had long felt that “something isn’t right” at a Bucks County home where a man is accused of sexually assaulting a teenager whose parents police say gave her to him when she was 14.

UPI reports that 12 girls were discovered at Kaplan’s Pennsylvania home, including the now 18-year-old and her two daughters.

Officials said Kaplan and the 18-year-old were not married, but acted as husband and wife.

One of the children that Kaplan allegedly fathered is 3-years-old and the other is an infant, according to police.

The teen’s Amish parents, who said they “gifted” the girl to Kaplan about four years ago after he helped them out of a financial scrap, also are being held on $1 million bail each.

Bucks County District Attorney Dave Heckler refused Saturday to answer any questions about an investigation into Kaplan, saying only that it is an open investigation and no further information would be released until a later date.

This photo provided by the Lower Southampton Police Department shows Lee Kaplan.

Authorities were told by Savilla Stoltzfus that she could produce birth certificates for the 10 older girls, Heckler said. She’s now 18 and has two children with the man police say her parents gave her to.

On Friday, Bucks County officials still were trying to determine how the other nine children came to be living with Kaplan.

Kaplan was living with 12 girls. He dismissed claims from neighbors that they had been complaining about the living situation in the home for years. She was 14 when her first child was conceived, the criminal complaint said.

“Right now we’re coordinating with authorities in Lancaster County to interview these children in a safe environment”, Krimmel said.

“What kind of call did they (make)?” According to investigators, the 18-year-old was “gifted” to Kaplan by her parents in thanks for helping the family out of financial ruin and keeping them from losing their farm. Some of their neighbors from almost a mile down the road tell us they were shocked to hear the allegations being made against them.

The Stoltzfuses and the girls still think the world of Kaplan, the DA said, calling the girls healthy but “brainwashed”.

“I really can’t believe it, because I really thought it was his own daughter”. He had chickens on the property, a very thriving garden with avocado trees and he told us he was able to get three dozen eggs a day from the chickens.

Authorities don’t now plan to press more charges against any of the suspects, but that could change after the girls are questioned, Hoopes said.

Both he and Savilla Stoltzfus are also charged with endangering the welfare of children.