A Pennsylvania couple has been arrested after authorities say they severely underfed their newborn twins, leaving the babies dangerously malnourished. The infants, who were born prematurely, gained only five pounds in the month after their birth, raising serious concerns about their health.
Courtney Soyka, 32, and Marcus Maddela, 45, from Bristol Township, were taken into custody earlier this week. Both are facing two counts each of felony child endangerment and conspiracy, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
The case first came to light in December 2024, when the Bucks County Township Police Department received a report from the Department of Children and Youth. The report was about two newborn twins who were born about two months early and were not receiving proper care.
The babies were born on October 7, 2024, with extremely low birth weights—one weighing 4.1 pounds and the other just 3.7 pounds. Because of their fragile condition, doctors kept them in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for treatment and observation until they were strong enough to go home with their parents.
However, after the twins were discharged, things took a troubling turn. Over the next few weeks, Soyka and Maddela missed four important medical checkups meant to monitor the babies’ growth and ensure they were developing properly outside the hospital.
Then, on December 11, Soyka finally took the babies to the hospital, where medical staff immediately noticed something was wrong. The twins looked extremely underweight for their age.
“When the babies were brought back, each one was under the first percentile for their age,” officials stated. Concerned for their health, doctors quickly transferred them to St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia for more intensive care.
What happened next only deepened suspicions about how the infants were being fed at home. In just three days at the hospital, both babies began gaining weight at a much faster rate than before. Doctors said this was clear evidence that the twins had not been getting enough food at home.
One of the doctors who treated them said both babies showed “very poor weight gain” but did not have any signs of illness that could explain it. The only logical reason, the doctor explained, was that they weren’t being given enough formula to meet their needs. The fact that they gained weight quickly with just regular feedings at the hospital proved that their condition could have been prevented.
The doctor also pointed out that if the parents had taken the babies to their scheduled pediatrician visits, this issue could have been caught and treated much sooner.
Following their arrests, Soyka and Maddela were booked into the Bucks County Correctional Facility. They appeared before Magisterial District Judge Terrance Hughes, who set their bond at $500,000 each.
Now, as the investigation continues, authorities are working to ensure the twins get the care they need while seeking justice for what they endured.
