Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus of Quarryville, Pennsylvania have been accused of “gifting” their teenage daughter to Lee Kaplan after helping the ex-Amish family when financial difficulties struck and their farm was at stake. The girl was only 14-years-old when she was forced to go to live with Kaplan and, as a result of the inappropriate relationship, the girl bore him two children.
Lee Kaplan, accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor and baring two children with the girl.
After receiving an anonymous tip, investigators arrived to Kaplan’s Bucks County home to find nine children living at the residence. The Stolzfuses said that the children were there’s, except for a 3-year-old and 6-month-old who were their grandchildren. According to the Bucks County District Prosecutor The Stolzfuses think Kaplan is “a wonderful man.” and feel they did nothing wrong with giving their daughter to him as a wife and allowing the couple to care for their other children.
The children in the home were very sheltered and some were scared to speak with investigators. Officials are now working with the Amish community in hopes that they can get the children to speak more freely in order to determine if there had been any other abuse going on in the home. None of the children had birth certificates or social security cards, nor did any of them attend school. Investigators are attempting to determine the paternity of the children in order to ensure that they are, indeed, children of the Stolzfuses.
Kaplan’s home, where investigators found 11 children plus the teenage girl (now 18) who had been living as Kaplan’s wife.
The Stoltzfuses were ex-communicated from the Amish community in 2009, after church elders frowned upon their decision to conduct business with Lee Kaplan, a Jewish man. A 2009 complaint against the church, which was later dismissed, stated that they had 11 children and operated a metalworks from their home.
The children have all been placed together in protective custody. The Stolzfuses have both been charged with endangering the welfare of children and Kaplan is facing charges related to statutory sexual assault.