Police Say That 12-year-old Pa. Girl Died Because Her Father and His Girlfriend Abused Her. What Her Sisters Want is Change
Police say that the young girl who died was abused by her father and his girlfriend. The girl’s sisters are now looking for answers.
Malinda Hoagland passed away in a Pennsylvania hospital when she was 12 years old. She was very thin—only 50 pounds—and had several broken bones.
According to the charges made at the time, Malinda’s father, Rendell Hoagland, and his lover, Cindy Warren, were charged with attempted criminal homicide, kidnapping, and other crimes connected to the death of his daughter. It’s not clear right now if they have pleaded guilty or not guilty to the charges.
Authorities had said before that an investigation showed Malinda had been taken out of school in late 2023. Police also said they found videos on Warren’s phone of Malinda being shackled and yelled at over a speaker system by both suspects.
The prosecutors say that Rendell and Warren punished Malinda by depriving her of food and making her do “strenuous physical exercise.”
Court records show that Warren pleaded guilty to putting her 3-year-old child in danger in a child abuse case in 2007.
Half-sisters Emily Lee (28), and Jamie Hoagland (23), tell PEOPLE they didn’t know what their younger sister was going through at the end of her life.
Lee says, “I had grown apart from my father while I waited for my sister to get older.” We were seeing each other before my dad started seeing Cindy, but I wouldn’t say we knew what was going on. We were just not told anything.
While Rendell was dating Warren, Lee says she looked up his new girlfriend on Google and found out about her past with the law.
“I asked my dad, ‘Hey, Dad, do you know what this woman is accused of?'” “Do you know what she did?” Lee thinks back. “It was against the rules for us to talk about it.”
Lee says she thought Warren had changed, but when Rendell moved away and they stopped talking as much, she became more worried about Malinda.
Jamie Hoagland says the last time she saw Malinda was in May 2023, more than two hours away from where she lives in Chester County, where Rendell started meeting Warren. Jamie was going to an event where Rendell was competing. But Jamie insisted on seeing Malinda when she wasn’t at the show.
Jamie says, “I went to the hotel with food for everyone.” Mindy was in a room that was 50 degrees, so she had on jackets and blankets. I didn’t think much of it.
Jamie says that after Rendell and Warren left the room, she talked to Malinda. Malinda gave answers that seemed normal, like she was making friends at her new school.
Randyll and Warren then came back into the room and told the other people, “We’re going to bed, you guys need to leave now,” Jamie says.
After a few months, the police say Malinda was taken out of school.
Lee and Jamie, who are being defended by Alexandria Crouthamel and Tom Bosworth, think that Child and Youth Services should have gone to the house where Malinda was living with Rendell and Warren after she was taken out of school because Warren has a criminal past.
Crouthamel tells PEOPLE that the sisters are trying to figure out why child services weren’t raising more red flags while they are setting up Malinda’s estate.
A case is an option, but for now, Lee and Jamie’s lawyers are trying to get the law changed.
Crouthamel says, “We’re pushing for something called Malinda’s Law, which is basically a list of people who have been physically violent.” “Yes, there is a list of sex offenders, and everyone can look it up. This includes people who work for the government.” But there’s nothing for people who hurt others. Because of this, the girls would like to have some kind of register or database set up.
Crouthamel says that she and Bosworth have talked to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro about making a law in Malinda’s name.
Lee says Malinda was a “bubbly child” who “loved the world for what it was and loved being in it.” Her sister says Malinda loved movies and was very friendly.
Even though Malinda’s death was months ago, Lee and Jamie still feel the need to tell her story.
Jamie says, “Talking about it never gets easier.” “It won’t be easy to talk about it in a month or a year.” But this is a tough subject, and no one else will talk about it if we don’t. This will go back under the rug where it came from, but it can’t go back under the rug.