NEARBY: Man Fathered Children With Girl He Was ‘Gifted,’ Authorities Say

Investigators were still working as of Saturday morning to piece together a bizarre story out of Lower Bucks County.

According to authorities, officials acting on a welfare tip found 51-year-old Lee Kaplan inside his home in the 400 block of Old Street Road in Lower Southampton with 12 girls ranging in age from 6 months to 18 years. Philly.com reported one of the teenage girls was considered to be Kaplan’s wife and he fathered a baby and toddler with her.

The 18-year-old girl who had Kaplan’s children was reportedly “gifted” to Kaplan by her parents, Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus, 43 and 42, of Lancaster County.

According to court papers, Daniel Stoltzfus turned over his daughter to Kaplan when she was 14 after he helped them recover from financial problems that threatened to take away their farm. Daniel Stoltzfus told investigators he “researched the legality of it on the internet.”

Savilla Stoltzfus said she was aware Kaplan was having a sexual relationship with her daughter when she was underage, a criminal complaint states.

Police and county children and youth workers went to the house this week and found Kaplan and the children.

“We kept finding more children,” Lower Southampton Lt. Ted Krimmel told Philly.com. “It’s just a crazy situation.”

6abc.com noted the Stoltzfus parents sent nine of their other children to stay with Kaplan at his home after they eventually lost their farm to foreclosure. The TV station says police have “no evidence that any of the other nine girls had been sexually assaulted.”

The Stoltzfus family was Amish but left the religion several years back over a dispute with the community.

The usually quiet Old Street Road neighborhood was abuzz with activity Friday evening as local media and police worked the scene. Kaplan appeared to have chickens and a garden on his property. Police roped off his house that has blue shutters and features a large shed in the back. An older blue Ford van sat in the driveway of the home with police cars blocking access.

The 12 children were all reported to be in protective custody together and will be interviewed by Lancaster County authorities who have experience dealing with people of the Amish culture.

Kaplan was arraigned late Friday afternoon with charges including statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and unlawful contact with a minor.

Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus were both charged with endangering the welfare of children. Daniel Stoltzfus also faces a count of conspiracy.

All three charged in the case were remanded to Bucks County prison on 10 percent of $1 million bail.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.