Pa. man pleads guilty to murdering 12-year-old daughter after years of neglect
Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of abuse and could be disturbing for some readers
A Chester County father pleaded guilty to murdering his 12-year-old daughter after years of neglecting and abusing her, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Rendell Hoagland, 54, admitted that he “repeatedly and systematically” abused his daughter, Malinda, for years during a two hour court appearance on Friday, Jan. 16, officials said.
Malinda’s family spoke in court on Friday to explain how her death has impacted them, according to officials.
The first responders who were tasked with responding to the 911 call where they found Malinda also shared their stories about how the case has left a mark on them, officials said.
“We still have more work to do, but today we took a big step towards getting justice for Malinda,” Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said Friday.
Rendell Hoagland was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 30 to 60 years after he pleaded guilty to charges including murder, kidnapping, conspiracy and other offences.
Malinda’s stepmother, Cindy Warren, is scheduled to go to trial on June 8, 2026, for her connection to the case.
Chester County officials want to remind everyone that if you are considered about the safety of a child, please call 911 or the Childline at 1-800-932-0313.
The death of Malinda Hoagland
On May 4, 2024, Malinda Hoagland was taken to Paoli Hospital’s Trauma Unit. The girl’s father, Rendell Hoagland, had called 911 and claimed his daughter struck a tree while riding her bicycle around 12:30 a.m. that morning.
Medics at the scene as well as staff at the hospital noticed the girl was severely emaciated and had numerous injuries all over her body. The girl later died that night while in surgery shortly before 10 p.m.
Investigators later determined Malinda had lost consciousness that day and didn’t get help for hours.
“They took about three quarters of a day to call 911,” DA Barrena-Sarobe said.
The autopsy revealed Malinda died from starvation and multiple blunt force injuries. The girl weighed 50 pounds at the time of her death and had suffered around 75 bruises, contusions, ulcers and pressure sores throughout her body, investigators said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
Years of abuse and torture, investigators say
Chester County investigators determined Malinda Hoagland had suffered years of abuse and torture at the hands of her father, Rendell Hoagland, and her stepmother, Cindy Warren.
“Information from the Coroner’s Office and medical experts demonstrates a years-long pattern of extensive torture and abuse,” Barrena-Sarobe said. “Moreover, text messages and hundreds of videos show that the Defendants engaged in a calculated and systematic method of terrorizing, manipulating, and dehumanizing Malinda.”
Through search warrants, investigators later obtained hundreds of videos and images from the suspects’ cellphones as well as security cameras, officials said.
The videos showed the girl’s ankle cuffed to furniture while her father and stepmother berated her through an in-camera speaker while they weren’t physically present, officials said. Text exchanges between the suspects showed they punished the girl for forgetting chores or schoolwork, “stealing” food, not smiling during school sessions over Zoom and urinating on herself while cuffed to the furniture, according to investigators.
Rendell Hoagland and Warren also often texted about hiding injuries from concerned family members and reporters, officials said.
Malinda was removed from in-person schooling in November of 2023, investigators said. School records revealed the girl had around 25 unexcused absences in 2023 and an additional 10 excused absences, according to officials. She attended a cyber school after being pulled from school at the end of 2023.
According to investigators, Malinda’s father and stepmother used makeup to cover up her beatings and shackled her legs to the floor during her virtual classes.
Barrena-Sarobe also said they forced the girl to do hours of pushups and stand for hours while holding books over her head. They also recorded themselves beating the girl whenever she dropped a book, investigators said.
