BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A couple from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has been charged with child endangerment after allegedly neglecting their premature newborn twins.
Courtney Soyka, 32, and Marcus Maddela, 45, both of Croydon in Bristol Township, face two felony counts of child endangerment and conspiracy, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s office.
The investigation began in December when Bristol Township Police received a referral about the twins from Bucks County Children and Youth. Born prematurely on October 7, the twins were initially kept in the NICU until they were healthy enough to go home. However, by December 11, the babies were brought back to the hospital after missing several medical appointments and showing signs of being severely underweight.
At birth, one twin weighed 4.16 pounds and had only gained 1.62 pounds by the time they returned to the hospital. The other twin, who weighed 3.74 pounds at birth, gained just 1.3 pounds during the same period.
Doctors at St. Christopher’s Hospital were able to address the weight issues once the twins were readmitted. A physician noted that the lack of weight gain could have been corrected sooner had the parents ensured the babies attended their scheduled follow-up appointments.
Soyka and Maddela are being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility on $500,000 bail, set at 10 percent.
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