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Mother Takes Stand At Trial Of Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 'Gifted' Amish Girls

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- The trial of the Bucks County man accused of raping or molesting six of the 11 Amish girls that were found in his home last summer continued Wednesday with jaw-dropping testimony from the mother of those girls.

Forty-three year old Savilla Stoltzfus testified that after she, her husband and their 14 children left the religion, or "quit the practice" they had nothing. The family was living in a campsite when some of the girls went to live with Lee Kaplan at his Old Street Road home in Feasterville.

Stoltzfus told the court that the girls would sleep in Kaplan's room, but she thought there was an understanding of no sex. Until, that is, she found out her 14-year-old daughter was pregnant with Kaplan's baby.

On direct examination, Stoltzfus was asked if Kaplan told her that he had sex with the girl because God told him to? Stoltzfus replied that it wasn't worded exactly that way, but they understood it was the right thing to do, or in God's leading. She said Kaplan told her it wasn't the girl's fault, adding his demeanor was apologetic.

When asked if she were released from prison if she would let her daughters continue their relationships with Kaplan, she replied they would have to decide on some other way to go forward.

Stoltzfus pleaded guilty to child endangerment and will be sentenced after Kaplan's trial.

Also on the stand on day one, the now 19-year-old who gave birth to Kaplan's child. She says he began molesting her when she was 10, and first had sex with her when she was 12.

Prosecutor Kate Kohler told the jury in opening statements that Kaplan used his influence over the family to turn six of the children into in her words, "sex toys."

But defense attorney Ryan Hyde told jurors the Stoltzfus's saw Kaplan had money and saw a better life for their daughters. But, he says, the rape and molestation allegations were cooked up when the couple realized they could be in legal trouble and might lose their children.

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