Pennsylvania Parents Charged with Endangerment of Malnourished Premature Twins

Courtney Soyka and Marcus Maddela, a couple from Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, have been arrested and charged with felony child endangerment and conspiracy after their prematurely born twins were found dangerously malnourished. The twins, born on October 7, 2024, weighed only 4.1 and 3.7 pounds at birth and were released from the hospital once deemed healthy enough. However, the couple missed four crucial medical appointments, and when they returned the infants for care on December 11, each twin had gained only 1.62 and 1.3 pounds, respectively. Medical professionals at St. Christopher's Hospital noted the twins' rapid weight gain upon readmission suggested insufficient caloric intake at home. Soyka and Maddela were arraigned and are currently held on $500,000 bail each. The investigation began following a referral from the Department of Children and Youth in December 2024.