The case of a Bucks County PA man who allegedly held 12 girls in captivity at his home and sexually assaulted at least one of them has garnered national media coverage. The suspect, a 51-year-old man named Lee Kaplan, was arrested after local law enforcement found the victims in his residence.
The suspect and the victims reportedly lived in the house, which is located on Old Street in the Feasterville area of Lower Southampton Township, near Philadelphia. Police officers made the shocking discovery after receiving a complaint from a neighbor about “the health and safety of the numerous children living there.”
When police officers performed a welfare check at the Lower Southampton residence, they spoke with the suspect. According to authorities, the suspect told police officers that he had been involved in a sexual relationship with at least one of the girls for several years, dating back to when she was just 14 years old.
The oldest girl at the residence is currently 18 years old, while the youngest girl is said to be just six months old. Additionally, one of the 12 girls found inside the suspect’s house is reportedly the mother of at least two of the other girls: a three-year-old child and a six-month-old child. Bucks County authorities believe that the suspect is the father of the two children.
A few neighbors told police that the girls rarely left the house and did not attend school.
The suspect was placed under arrest by police and charged with numerous sex crimes, including statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault on a minor under the age of 16, corruption of minors, and unlawful contact with a minor that involved sexual offenses.
Parents of the Captive Girls Also Arrested in Pennsylvania
Also placed under arrest by law enforcement were Daniel Stoltzfus and Savilla Stoltzfus, a Quarryville PA couple who allegedly gave their 14-year-old daughter to the suspect after he helped to save their family from “financial ruin.” (It is not clear at this time what exactly the suspect did to resolve the Stoltzfuses’ financial difficulties.) Their daughter is now 18 years old and was allegedly the main victim of the suspect’s sexual offenses. According to Bucks County prosecutors, the couple claimed that they were the birth parents of 10 of the girls found in the suspect’s Lower Southampton home.
The Stoltzfuses face criminal charges for child endangerment, as well as statutory sexual assault and criminal conspiracy. Although the married couple lives in Lancaster County, they will have to answer the criminal charges in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
At this time, Bucks County PA prosecutors are continuing to investigate the case and gather evidence. Meanwhile, the girls who were found in the home are being cared for by Bucks County social services workers.
All three suspects in the bizarre case are currently being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of separate $1 million bail amounts.
For more information, read the NJ.com article, “Man Charged with Sex Assault after 12 Girls Found in Pa. Home.”
If you or a loved one has been accused of a sex crime like rape or sexual assault in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you need to talk to a qualified criminal defense lawyer immediately. The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Garber Law will help you fight your sexual offense charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation about your case.