The Lehigh County District Attorney's Office has announced further charges against the Dechant couple, who are accused of neglecting and abusing a pair of juveniles under their care.
The Lower Macungie couple is accused of depriving the 15-year-old twins of food, forcing them outside naked in freezing temperatures, and subjecting them to other forms of abuse.
Joshua Dechant, 36, and his wife, Tracy Dechant, 42, were initially charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children.
The DA has announced additional felony charges of conspiracy murder of the third degree, aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and misleading testimony.
The Dechants face 14 total charges each, according to the report.
According to the original report by the DA, on January 22, Pennsylvania State Police responded to the 1200 block of Divot Drive in Lower Macungie Township following a report of a nearly naked 15-year-old boy running through the neighborhood.
PSP Troopers encountered the boy, who allegedly informed investigators that his stepfather, Joshua Dechant, had forced him outside without clothes as a punishment.
Investigators noted that at the time, the temperature was in the single digits, and the victim's feet were extremely red after being exposed to the cold and snow for roughly 20 minutes.
The authorities did not disclose the names of the boy or his twin brother, who also experienced the same abuse.
Troopers on the scene noted the victim was “very malnourished and extremely thin.”
Neighbors allegedly told police the boy had knocked on their door seeking help and once inside, the boy would not stop eating.
The victims reported to the police that their mother and stepfather subjected them to multiple forms of abuse, such as depriving them of food and water, making them walk around the house naked, forcing them to stand outside naked in freezing temperatures, and making them sleep on the floor with just one blanket to share.
When admitted to the hospital, one victim weighed approximately 53 pounds, and the second approximately 55 pounds.
According to medical personnel, boys of their size and age should weigh around 143 pounds.
Police also said they do not believe the children attended a brick-and-mortar school.
According to the news release from the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office on Friday, the new charges assert that by restricting food and water, failing to obtain medical treatment for severe malnutrition, and exposing both victims to freezing temperatures outside while naked, the couple engaged in a course of conduct that displayed a conscious disregard that their actions may cause death or serious bodily injury.
The DA's office said the Commonwealth alleges that the couple, acting in concert with each other, engaged in a lengthy course of conduct toward the two victims which showed malice toward the children, according to the news release.
According to the DA's office, malice in this context has a specific meaning in the law.
The DA's office says it includes a wickedness of disposition, hardness of heart, cruelty, recklessness of consequences, and a conscious disregard of an unjustified and extremely high risk that their actions might cause death or serious bodily harm.
The charge of conspiracy is a crime in and of itself, even if the substantive crime was not completed, according to the DA's office.
The DA stated that in January, other children in the household were placed in custody.
As per the Friday news release from the DA's office, Joshua and Tracy Dechant each have bail set at $200,000, with preliminary hearings planned for 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 27.
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