Charges Filed Against Four Individuals for Neglecting a Child

In Wisconsin, four people have been charged—two of them reportedly “extremely obese”—for allegedly starving a 14-year-old girl, leaving her to weigh just 35 pounds.

Walter Goodman, 47, resided in a home in Oneida, Outagamie County, along with his wife, stepdaughter, and a romantic partner. A court official referred to the residence as a “house of horrors.”

During a distress call made to emergency services in August, Ms. Goodman reported that her daughter was unwell. According to the dispatcher, the girl was “not eating much,” and exhibited symptoms of sickness, including vomiting and lethargy. She was described as currently “unresponsive.”

First responders noted that the girl appeared to be “approximately the size of a 6- to 8-year-old.” In court, Autagamie County Assistant District Attorney Julie Duquain stated, “She was on the verge of death. At 14 years old, she weighed only 35 pounds.”

She was subsequently airlifted to Children’s Wisconsin in Wauwatosa for treatment of severe malnutrition. Duquain remarked that this incident is “the most egregious case of child neglect” she has encountered in her nearly 25 years as a prosecutor.

The investigation revealed that the girl had been living with her father since 2020 but had not attended school or seen a doctor. Goodman claimed custody after the girl’s mother was imprisoned. He implied that the girl had an eating disorder, stating, “She doesn’t eat. She’s autistic.”

However, emails uncovered by police indicated that those in the home referred to her as a “dummy” and “stupid” in discussions about her eating habits. In a text, Goodman’s stepdaughter, Savannah Lefever, 29, expressed frustration, saying, “Last night I felt sick so I shook her (expletive) hand. Of course she lay there nice and quiet to get what she wanted.”

Goodman’s partner, Kayla Stemler, 27, was noted as the only one who regularly left the house for work, while Lefever and Melissa Goodman were described as “severely obese” and nearly bedridden.

Outagamie County Court Commissioner Brian Figge reflected, “By the grace of God, she didn’t die.” He emphasized the disturbing nature of the allegations, suggesting that the minor children involved lived in a state of fear.

All four adults face five counts of chronic child neglect.