Dad Whose 12-Year-Old Daughter Weighed 50 Pounds at Death Enters Guilty Plea to Murder
Written by admin on January 17, 2026
A Pennsylvania man charged in a horrific case of child abuse that killed his 12-year-old daughter has entered into a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.
Rendell Hoagland, 54, pleaded guilty to first degree murder, conspiracy, kidnapping, and other charges in the May 2024 death of Malinda Hoagland, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said on Friday. The agreement called for a sentence of life without the possibility of parole plus 30 to 60 years.
In July 2024, the district attorney announced that he was seeking the death penalty for Hoagland and his girlfriend, 45-year-old Cindy Warren, who was also arrested after Malinda Hoagland’s death, as CrimeOnline reported.
The girl died hours after her father called 911 claiming that a tree knocked his daughter unconscious as she rode her bike, but detectives quickly determined that his story didn’t match up with child’s extensive injuries.
Doctors found that Malinda weighed 50 pounds when she died and had six broken bones, numerous lacerations and bruises, and liver damage. Then detectives soon learned that Hoagland and Warren kept Malinda shackled to furniture, even while she was attended school online, and forced her to do hours of calisthenics as punishment. They also kept food from her and padlocked a pantry to keep her out.
A video recovered from a cell phone showed Malinda suffered abuse that was “ongoing” and “systematic” and took place over years.
Warren’s 9-year-old son also lived at the home but was not subject to the abuse heaped on the girl. Warren’s trial is scheduled to begin on June 8, the district attorney’s office said.
District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said that prosecutors consulted with the victim’s family in reaching the plea deal.
“We still have more work to do, but today we took a big step towards getting justice for Malinda,” he said.
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[Featured image: Melinda Hoagland/Chester County District Attorney’s Office]
