Couple Sentenced For 'Severe' Malnutrition Of Premature Twins In Lower Bucks Co.

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Croydon couple were sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to charges resulting in the severe malnourishment of their premature twins, authorities said.

Courtney Soyka, 33, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of child endangerment and was sentenced to one year less a day to two years less a day in county jail, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said.

Marcus Maddela, 45, previously pleaded guilty in late October to child endangerment charges and was sentenced to eight to 23 months in county jail, authorities said.

Authorities say that Soyka and Maddela of Coventry Avenue, Bristol Township, failed to follow up on critical medical appointments for the twins, who were born prematurely at 32 weeks on Oct. 7.

After being released from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the twins required regular weight checks. However, on Dec. 11, 2024, the infants were brought back to the hospital after missing four medical appointments each.

At the time of their return, the babies were dangerously malnourished and fell below the first percentile for their age. One twin, who weighed 4.16 pounds at birth, weighed only 5.78 pounds two months later. The second twin, born at 3.74 pounds, weighed 5.04 pounds in December, authorities said.

The twins were immediately transferred to St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia.

Doctors at St. Christopher’s Hospital noted that both twins presented with “very poor weight gain” but no other signs of illness. After just three days of routine formula feedings by mouth at the hospital, the twins significantly improved and began gaining weight at a much higher average rate than when they were at home.

A St. Christopher’s doctor confirmed that the poor weight gain was consistent with insufficient caloric intake at home and could have been addressed sooner had the couple attended the scheduled follow-up appointments.