A married couple, of Lower Macungie Township, face additional charges, including conspiracy to commit murder of the third degree and aggravated assault, in the alleged endangerment of two teens in their care, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced Feb. 21.

“Joshua Dechant, 36 and his wife, Tracy Dechant, 42, were charged today with two counts each of conspiracy to commit murder of the third degree and aggravated assault; both felonies of the first degree; one count each of intimidating witnesses or victims — refrain from report, intimidating witnesses or victims — false or misleading testimony; both felonies of the first degree; and two counts each of unlawful restraint of minor by a parent and false imprisonment of minor by a parent, both felonies of the second degree; and misdemeanor charges of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person,” authorities announced in a news release dated Feb. 21.

The couple was charged with two felony counts each of allegedly endangering the welfare of children Jan. 26.

The charges are brought against the couple in what authorities described as “an ongoing investigation” starting Jan. 22 when Pennsylvania State Police troopers responded to the 1200 block of Divot Drive in Lower Macungie Township after a nearly naked teen was seen running through the neighborhood.

The person, later identified as a 15-year-old male, reportedly went to a neighbor’s house for help.

The teen told authorities his stepfather, identified as Joshua Dechant in affidavits of probable cause, allegedly forced the teen to go outside naked as a form of punishment.

The teen was taken to the hospital for treatment at the time of the incident where he reportedly told authorities about his twin brother.

“Both victims told police their mother and stepfather would subject them to multiple types of abuse in the home,” according to the news release.

According to affidavits of probable cause made available through the district attorney’s office, alleged abuse included denial of food and water to both teens as punishment; forcing the teens to walk around the house unclothed as discipline; forcing the teens to stand outside “without consideration for temperature as punishment” and having “virtually no contact with the outside world for approximately one year.”

The teens “have been forced to remain in the home or under supervision when leaving, all of which was against their will,” according to the affidavits of probable cause.

Both teens were described by authorities as severely malnourished, extremely thin and showing signs of injury including bruising and exposure to cold.

A witness and video evidence collected from cellphones and a home surveillance system confirmed alleged abuse by the couple, according to the affidavits of probable cause.

Joshua Dechant and Tracy Dechant also allegedly told the twin brother to lie to authorities about what happened and to tell authorities his brother took off his clothes and ran outside on his own in the incident in January.

Tracy Dechant allegedly also told the twin to lie about his brother and to describe his brother to authorities as “dangerous and abusive, necessitating the punishments he received,” according to affidavits of probable cause and the news release.

“Both Joshua Dechant and Tracy Dechant engaged in a course of conduct that displayed a conscious disregard that their actions may cause death or serious bodily injury,” Holihan said in the news release.

“The Commonwealth alleges that both defendants, acting in concert with each other, engaged in a lengthy course of conduct toward these two victims which showed malice toward the children. Malice in this context has a specific meaning in the law. 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,” the news release continued.

According to court documents available online Feb. 23, a preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 27.