Chester County Father Pleads Guilty to Daughter’s Murder After Years of Abuse, Prosecutors Say
WEST CALN TWP., Pa. A Chester County man has pleaded guilty to the murder of his 12-year-old daughter following years of abuse, according to prosecutors.
Rendell Hoagland admitted Friday to his role in the death of his daughter, Malinda, inside their Coatesville home. Authorities said the child endured prolonged abuse and was ultimately starved to death. She died in May 2024 weighing just 50 pounds.
Investigators previously said Malinda had been “reprogrammed” to accept abuse as a normal part of her life and did not report what was happening because she feared even more severe beatings. Records uncovered during the investigation documented abuse dating back to November 2021.
Malinda was taken to the hospital on May 4, 2024. Prosecutors said Hoagland told authorities that she had struck a tree while riding a bicycle around 12:30 a.m. She later died while undergoing surgery. An autopsy determined that her death was caused by starvation and multiple blunt-force injuries.
As part of the guilty plea, Hoagland avoided the death penalty but will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Hoagland’s girlfriend, Cindy Warren, who is also charged in connection with Malinda’s death, is scheduled to go to trial later this spring.
