Dad and his fiancé charged in daughter’s death after ‘torturing and abusing 12-year-old girl for months leaving her shackled in the basement with broken bones’
A Pennsylvania couple has been accused of systematically torturing and abusing a 12-year-old girl to death.
Rendell Hoagland, 52, and his fiancée Cindy Warren, 45, were charged in the death of his daughter Malinda after officials found her with multiple broken bones and “barely alive” in West Caln on Saturday.
‘Doctors found an emaciated child. She weighed 50 pounds,” said Chester County District Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe.
‘She was covered in bruises. She had at least half a dozen broken bones. Her organs failed and she eventually died while being treated in hospital.”
Malinda was found after Hoagland called 911 and claimed his daughter hit a tree while riding her bike and lost consciousness, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Malinda was found after Hoagland called 911 and claimed his daughter had hit a tree while riding her bike and lost consciousness
Rendell Hoagland, 52, and his fiancée Cindy Warren, 45, were charged in the death of his daughter Malinda after officials found her with multiple broken bones and ‘barely alive’
Both are each charged with attempted murder, assault and kidnapping, among other charges. Investigators say additional charges, including murder, are possible
Investigators say the couple deleted cell phone video that showed the extent of the ongoing abuse, which included chaining Malinda in the basement of their home to an air hockey table and other furniture.
Some videos, taken from the home’s CCTV system, showed Malinda tied to furniture with ankle cuffs and being verbally abused by the defendants over the in-camera speaker system.
“The video showed that they would punish her by demanding strenuous exercises such as squats and running on the spot while she was still chained, and showed that she would be punished for contempt by refusing food,” the Barrena said Sarobe.
Other videos reportedly show Malinda being forced to sleep on the floor while chained, without a pillow or blankets, and not allowed to expect breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The last photos he shared of Malinda were posted on January 5, when she appeared to be opening Christmas presents with Gavin
Another photo of Malinda that her father shared in January
The house where Malinda was allegedly tortured for months is pictured above
The couple also allegedly deleted their text messages before calling 911, but recovered messages showed they discussed the girl’s deteriorating condition.
In a conversation mentioned in the affidavit, Warren tells Hoagland to “take” Malinda to the hospital instead of calling 911.
Detectives have since alleged that Malinda was taken out of school and transferred to an online cyber school in early December.
de Barrena-Sarobe said the girl showed up on camera for lessons but was chained downstairs, away from the camera’s view.
Both are each charged with attempted murder, assault and kidnapping, among other charges. Investigators say additional charges, including murder, are possible
They were arrested on Monday after police opened an investigation over the girl’s condition in hospital, including significant liver damage.
Hoagland and Warren were avid Facebook users and until last year shared images of the Malinda and another young boy named Gavin
They are being held on $1 million bail.
When asked about Malinda’s injuries, the couple claimed they were the result of the bicycle accident and that they had been accidentally hit by another child on a water slide.
When asked about her weight loss, they claimed that she had been losing weight steadily for months and that they were planning to take her to a doctor.
Hoagland and Warren were avid Facebook users and until last year shared images of the Malinda and another young boy named Gavin.
However, Malinda disappeared from their social media sometime in the past few months as the couple continued to post about Gavin.
In recent weeks, Hoagland posted photos with Gavin at the movies, at a car racing event and with the Cub Scouts.
Hoagland wrote on March 16, “Gavin had a great day at Cub Scouts today. Took first place for the Bear Den level. He couldn’t be more excited and proud. Congratulations buddy.”
In recent weeks, Hoagland posted photos with Gavin at the movies, at a car racing event and with the Cub Scouts
Malinda and Gavin are seen above in a photo her father shared in 2020
Warren almost exclusively posted images of Gavin on Facebook and shared an image of Malinda only once – in December 2020
The last photos he shared of Malinda were posted on January 5, when she appeared to be opening Christmas presents with Gavin.
It is unclear whether Gavin is Hoagland’s or Warren’s son.
Warren almost exclusively posted images of Gavin on Facebook and shared an image of Malinda only once – in December 2020.
She already pleaded guilty in 2009 to allowing her ex-husband to beat their son Isaiah, who was three at the time and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Her ex-husband McKinley Warren Jr. is serving 25 to 50 years for abusing the boy and also for killing his two-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
Warren was the girl’s stepmother, as reported by Pocono record.