Pennsylvania couple didn't call 911 as their child died, waited days

HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced that the parents of a newborn who died in Sullivan County have entered guilty pleas in a tragic case involving neglect and failure to seek medical assistance. The infant boy, who died just two days after his birth in January 2022, was found to be in severe medical distress, which led to cardiac arrest.

Drew Hoenigke, the father of the baby, pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly endangering another person and concealing the death of a child. The mother, Amy Hoenigke, admitted guilt to felony aggravated assault. Sentencing for both parents is scheduled for a later date by a Sullivan County judge.

The case also implicated a third individual, Brigitte Meckes, who, along with the parents, failed to take reasonable actions to call for medical help despite being fully aware of the infant’s critical condition. This was substantiated by text messages among the trio, confirming their knowledge of the baby’s dire state, yet no one contacted emergency services.

The charges reflect serious lapses in responsibility and care by the parents and Meckes, leading to legal consequences under Pennsylvania law. The community and authorities hope that the resolution of this case will bring some measure of justice for the needless loss of the newborn.

Shore News Network Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.