Lielle Kaplan, a 9-year-old girl from Austin, Texas, tragically lost her life on December 11, 2017. The incident was determined to be a murder-suicide, carried out by her father, Yariv Kaplan, who was 42 years old. The couple was found in their southwest Travis County home with gunshot wounds. Authorities believe that Yariv Kaplan shot his daughter before taking his own life.
The tragic event unfolded early in the morning when deputies responded to a welfare check call at the Kaplan
residence. Upon entering the home, they discovered the bodies of both father and daughter. According to court records, Yariv Kaplan was going through a divorce and was involved in a custody battle over Lielle. The next court hearing was scheduled for January 2018.
Lielle Kaplan attended the Austin Waldorf School, and her family was originally from Israel. The circumstances leading up to the murder-suicide remain unclear, but it is known that Yariv Kaplan had sent an email to his family in Israel expressing his intention to kill Lielle. Despite the family's efforts to alert local police, they were unable to prevent the tragedy.
No arrests were made in connection with the incident, as it was determined to be a murder-suicide. The case did not lead to any further litigation or investigations, as the deaths were ruled as a result of self-inflicted and inflicted gunshot wounds.
The loss of Lielle Kaplan was a heartbreaking event that deeply affected her family and the community. Her mother, Anat Levitan Kaplan, who was in Israel at the time, set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to bring Lielle's body back to Israel for burial.
This tragic incident highlights the devastating impact of domestic disputes and the importance of mental health support and intervention in such cases.
