A man from Lower Southampton, Pennsylvania, is facing charges of sexual assault involving an underage girl who was reportedly given to him by her parents. The incident came to light when the former Amish couple, facing financial difficulties, sought assistance from a 52-year-old man named Lee Kaplan. According to the Bucks County Courier Times, they subsequently handed over their 14-year-old daughter to him.
Now 18 years old, the girl revealed to the police that Kaplan is the father of her two children, aged 6 months and 3 years. Authorities were alerted to the situation when a neighbor named Jen Bets filed a complaint about the well-being of the children residing at Kaplan’s residence. Upon investigation, the police discovered a total of 12 girls at the house, ranging in age from 6 months to 18 years old, including the two children Kaplan fathered with the girl.
Concerned neighbor Jen Bets, who had observed Kaplan with the girls, spoke up about her suspicions, stating, “It’s never the wrong time to do the right thing.” Bets noticed signs that raised alarm, such as the young girl appearing too young to be a wife and too old to be holding Kaplan’s hand while walking down the street.
All the underage children have been placed in protective custody. Lower Southampton Detective Sgt. Shane Hearn reported that the living conditions in the house seemed acceptable, with no signs of malnutrition. Kaplan owned a farm on the property, and it appeared that they were sustaining themselves through farming.
Bets expressed her dissatisfaction with the response time of the police to her requests to visit Kaplan’s residence, emphasizing the urgent need for assistance. She stated that the children appeared sad and fearful every time she saw them, motivating her to contact the authorities.
Kaplan is currently detained at Bucks County prison, held on charges of statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault on a person younger than 16, corruption of minors, and contact with a minor involving sexual offenses. His bail is set at $1 million, requiring a 10 percent payment for release.
The girl’s parents, who assert that all the children living in Kaplan’s house are theirs, have been arrested on child endangerment charges, with their bail also set at $1 million.
Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the identities of the girls, as no identifying documents have been found thus far. Multiple agencies, including Bucks County, are collaborating to determine their genealogy and true parentage. The duration for which the children had been residing with Kaplan remains unknown.
