BRISTOL, PA – A Pennsylvania couple faces serious charges after authorities accused them of dangerously underfeeding their prematurely born twins, leaving the infants severely malnourished.
Courtney Soyka, 32, and Marcus Maddela, 45, both residents of Bristol Township, were apprehended earlier this week, facing two counts each of felony child endangerment and conspiracy, as disclosed by local law enforcement.
The investigation began in December 2024, when the Bucks County Township Police Department received a tip from the Department of Children and Youth Services concerning the welfare of the twin newborns, who had arrived nearly two months early and required significant medical care.
Born on October 7, 2024, the twins weighed just 4.1 and 3.7 pounds, respectively, at birth. Due to their fragile condition, both infants were monitored and treated in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit until they gained sufficient stability to be sent home with their parents.
Concern escalated when the twins missed four critical follow-up medical appointments, which were crucial for monitoring their growth and health outside the hospital’s constant care.
It wasn’t until December 11 that Soyka returned the children to the hospital, where medical professionals expressed alarm over their condition, noting that they appeared “extremely underweight for their age.”
“The infants were significantly under the first percentile for their age,” commented the district attorney’s office. Following this alarming discovery, the twins were transferred to St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia. Within three days, they displayed considerable weight gains, suggesting inadequate nutrition during their time at home.
Medical evaluations supported these findings, indicating that the swift weight gains observed in the hospital were likely due to receiving appropriate caloric intake absent in their home environment.
A treating physician reported the twins displayed “very poor weight gain,” not tied to any underlying illness, further implying neglect. Simply receiving routine formula feedings during their hospitalization led to marked improvements in their conditions.
Doctors also noted that the children’s issues could have been mitigated sooner had the parents ensured regular attendance at scheduled pediatric appointments.
Following their arrest, Soyka and Maddela were processed at Bucks County Correctional Facility. At their initial court appearance, Magisterial District Judge Terrance Hughes assigned each defendant a bond of $500,000, reflecting the grave nature of the charges they face.