Home of child molester sold, money will help victims

LOWER MAKFIELD TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- The home of a convicted child molester in Bucks County has been sold, and the money will be used to help victims.

Thomas Holliday is serving what is essentially a life sentence for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl as well as possessing and producing child pornography.

He committed the crimes in his Yardley home. Bucks County prosecutors were going to seize it under a newly-passed law, but instead Holliday forfeited it back in January.

"It allows us to get a horrible, horrible negative and get a little bit positivity out of it. I think it's underutilized," said Matt Weintraub, the Bucks County chief prosecutor. "I called a bunch of DA offices and really didn't get any responses on this."

Most of the money went to NOVA, the Network of Victim Assistance of Bucks County. It's a facility that helps victims of sexual violence through its Children's Advocacy Center

"We will coordinate any counseling services, advocacy work, medical examinations that they may need, and coordinate that with our three offices," said Bill Hoblin of NOVA.

Holliday's Yardley property sold for $400,000 last week. $233,000 went to NOVA, which equals almost 10 percent of its annual budget.

$50,000 went into a trust for the victim and $25,000 went to Holliday's adult daughter.

The settlement prevented a jury trial to seize the home. Under the law, proceeds from a seizure must only go to child advocacy groups - not individuals.

"Since we were able to make a settlement with the defendant, we were able to allocate a little bit of it to go to the victim. That's why we decided to do it," said Weintraub.

Weintraub says the DA's office will look to sell more of these houses of horror to help other victims.