Police search home of man accused of receiving 14yo Amish girl as gift

Authorities have been searching the home of a Pennsylvania man accused of sexually assaulting a teenager whose parents police say gave her to him when she was 14 because he helped them financially. She was one of a dozen girls living in the residence. Officials in Bucks County acting on a tip Thursday found 51-year-old Lee Kaplan at his Feasterville home, along with 12 girls ranging in age from six months to 18 years. One girl, now 18, told police that she and Kaplan have a 3-year-old and a six-month-old.

I’ve been telling my husband for years ‘Something isn’t right, something isn’t right.’

Neighbour Jen Betz

On Saturday, police and dogs scoured the home’s backyard for evidence. Lt. Ted Krimmel of the Lower Southampton police department said authorities waited until dawn so they would be able to search the property in daylight. “We have a search warrant for the entire property,” he said. “There are dogs searching for evidence.” District Attorney David Heckler said the parents of the girl Kaplan is accused of assaulting told police they were going to lose their farm until Kaplan “came out of the blue and saved them from financial ruin”. Authorities allege in an affidavit that the girl’s father, Daniel Stoltzfus, told an officer he gave his 14-year-old daughter to Kaplan after researching the legality of such an action online. Stoltzfus is charged with conspiracy of statutory sexual assault and children endangerment. His wife, Savilla Stoltzfus, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Amish