Celebrity 'superdad' who raised 14 children alone admits to sexually abusing 12 kids - including some of his own

The German father of 14, who gained celebrity-status for being a single ‘superdad’ and raising some of his children alone, has admitted he sexually abused some of them - and two of their friends.

Steffen H, who is now 64, abused his children between 2001 and 2022, some when they were just three-years-old, according to local media reports.

After he admitted his crime, Steffen told a court in eastern German city Chemnitz: “I am ashamed of the heinous acts against my own children and two friends”, according to local publication Bild.

He added: “I want to go to therapy so that my children will forgive me. I still love my children very much.”

The now disgraced dad became famous in his hometown of Leipzig, Germany, almost 20 years ago after local news learned that his ex-wife, who has not been identified, left him in 2006 and he had to raise their seven children alone.

At the time, local media dubbed him ‘Papawittchen’ which is a mix of words that translates to ‘dad’ and ‘Snow White’. TV cameras even followed him in his day-to-day life. But what reporters didn’t know at the time was he was sexually abusing his children, local publication RTL reports.

The public prosecutor is now “certain” that the Steffen abused a total of twelve children between 2001 and 2022, as stated by RTL.

Steffen was also referred to by German media as ‘superdad’, and thanks the extensive coverage on him a woman called Mandy K reached out to him, and the two fell in love and had more children.

She has since left him and claims to know nothing of the sexual abuse he committed. She and the children are all a co-plaintiff in the case. Steffen’s confession means his children and other victims, who are now adults, will not have to testify in court.

Dominik Schulz, president of the regional court where the trial is held, told RTL: “The children were, let’s say, available for so long. A truly terrible approach and, from a human perspective, really difficult to understand.”

The verdict in the case is expected in March and Steffen could face up to 10 years in jail.