A Pennsylvania couple has been sentenced to jail after their premature twin infants were found dangerously malnourished—so underfed that they gained barely two pounds combined in more than a month. The children’s mother, 33-year-old C. Soyka, and father, 45-year-old M. Maddela, pleaded guilty to child endangerment for failing to properly feed or medically monitor their newborns.
Soyka was sentenced to 364 to 729 days in jail after admitting to two counts of endangering the welfare of children. Maddela received a sentence of 8 to 23 months following his guilty plea in late October. Prosecutors called the case “extremely disturbing,” noting that the twins narrowly avoided lasting harm because of timely medical intervention.
The twins were born more than two months premature on October 7, 2024, weighing only 4.16 pounds and 3.74 pounds. After their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, doctors placed them on a strict monitoring plan requiring frequent weight checks. But according to the District Attorney’s Office, the parents skipped four scheduled appointments and went more than a month without bringing the infants in for any medical follow-ups.
When the couple finally returned to the hospital on December 11, doctors were alarmed by the children’s condition. The heavier twin had gained just 1.62 pounds since birth, while the lighter had added only 1.3 pounds—both falling below the first percentile for infant growth. Physicians found no medical issues that could explain the extreme weight deficit. Instead, the infants showed classic signs of inadequate feeding.
The twins were immediately transferred for emergency treatment. Under supervised formula feeding, both began gaining weight rapidly within just three days. Their swift improvement made it clear their condition had been entirely preventable. A hospital physician later confirmed that their malnutrition stemmed solely from insufficient caloric intake and that attending the missed appointments likely would have uncovered the issue much earlier.
During sentencing, Assistant District Attorney B. Murphy underscored the seriousness of the neglect. She called the case “extremely disturbing,” emphasizing how shocking it was that the parents allowed their fragile, premature infants to decline to such a dangerous state before seeking help.
The judge imposed sentences meant not only to hold the couple accountable but also to send a message about the consequences of severe child neglect. Soyka will serve up to two years behind bars, while Maddela will serve just under two years.
Authorities have not released the twins’ current condition, but their rapid turnaround in the hospital demonstrates how urgently they needed proper care—and how preventable their suffering was. The case highlights the vulnerability of premature infants and the devastating impact when parents fail to meet even the most basic responsibilities for their children’s health and safety