Father Conditioned Daughter To Accept Abuse Until She Died.
Rendell Hoagland, 54, of West Chester, PA, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his 12-year-old daughter, Malinda Hoagland.
Malinda Hoagland died on May 4, 2024, after being rushed to the hospital in critical condition. An autopsy determined the cause of death was starvation and multiple blunt-force injuries, with Malinda weighing just 50 pounds at the time. She had at least six broken bones and was covered in bruises. Hoagland called 911 around 12:30 a.m. that day, claiming Malinda had hit a tree while riding her bicycle at midnight, but investigators later determined this was false.
Prosecutors described a pattern of systematic abuse spanning years, supported by text messages, home surveillance videos, and medical evidence. Videos showed Hoagland and his girlfriend, Cindy Warren, allegedly shackling Malinda’s ankles to furniture, denying her food for days as punishment, forcing her to perform exercises like squats while restrained, and verbally berating her.
According to Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe at a July 2024 press conference reported by WFMZ, Malinda had been conditioned to accept the abuse, with de Barrena-Sarobe stating, “It appears that Malinda was reprogrammed to accept abuse as part of her life. She would not report abuse because she was afraid of being beaten even more fiercely than she had been before.”
During the two-hour plea hearing before Judge Ann Marie Wheatcraft, Hoagland admitted to repeatedly abusing his daughter. The plea agreement was reached in consultation with Malinda’s family, who addressed the court about the impact of her death. First responders who attended the scene also spoke about their experiences. De Barrena-Sarobe commented after the hearing, “We still have more work to do, but today we took a big step towards getting justice for Malinda,” as quoted in the District Attorney’s Office Facebook post.
Cindy Warren, 47, Malinda’s stepmother, faces similar charges, including first-degree murder, and her trial is scheduled for June 8, 2026. Warren has a prior conviction from 2009 for child endangerment related to the death of another child, as reported by WCAU.
Hoagland also admitted to charges including conspiracy, kidnapping, and aggravated assault, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 30 to 60 years.
