The parents of a pregnant 19-year-old pleaded not guilty Monday to kidnapping, assault and terrorizing in what prosecutors say was an attempt to force her to have an abortion.
Nicholas and Lola Kampf are accused of tying up their daughter Katelyn, forcing her into their car and heading to New York for an abortion.
They were arrested Sept. 15 at a shopping center in Salem, N.H., after Katelyn fled and called police on a cell phone.
The Kampfs could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of kidnapping. They have been free on $100,000 bail each since being charged in Cumberland County Superior Court.
The defense contends that there was no kidnapping and that the case is far different that the way it has been portrayed.
Thomas Hallett, the parents’ lawyer, said the parents learned the day before their arrest that their daughter was pregnant. They had packed their car for a trip to Florida, but their plans changed because of the pregnancy, he said.
What the family needs is therapy, not a criminal prosecution, he said.
District Attorney Stephanie Anderson said it’s unrealistic for the Kampfs to believe the criminal charges will be dropped.