In one of Wisconsin’s most disturbing child abuse cases in recent years, a 14-year-old girl from Oneida was found weighing just 35 pounds after allegedly being starved and confined for nearly five years by members of her own family. The teenager, described by doctors as “skeletal,” was discovered in a comatose state in August 2025 after her father called emergency services, telling responders that his daughter was vomiting and unresponsive.
A brutal case of family harassment
When police arrived, they were shocked to find the girl so severely malnourished that she appeared half her age. Hospital staff later confirmed she was suffering from hypothermia, acute hepatitis, pancreatitis, respiratory failure, cardiac complications, pressure sores and multiple organ dysfunction. Medical teams were initially unsure whether she would survive, and she required feeding tubes before she could safely eat on her own.
According to court documents, the abuse is believed to have started in 2020. The girl was allegedly kept locked in a room without a mattress, forced to sleep on a bare floor and denied regular access to food, water and bathroom use. A camera had reportedly been installed to monitor her, and text messages between family members instructed each other to strictly limit her water intake and prevent her from leaving the room. While the rest of the household was described as “grossly obese,” the child had been reduced to what one prosecutor called the appearance of “a skeleton.”
How the teenager faced family abuse?
The teenager told hospital staff that she was allowed to bathe only when “they let me,” sometimes going weeks or even a month without a bath. She lacked basic understanding of everyday essentials and needed guidance even to use a sink. Years of confinement left her unable to walk properly, requiring furniture for support and assistance to stand or use the bathroom.
Her father, Walter Goodman III, claimed she was autistic and had an eating disorder that made her refuse food. But medical staff disputed this, stating the girl ate eagerly once admitted and that she expressed fear of eating at home because her father became angry if she ate “too much.”
Four arrested
Four adults have been arrested in connection with the abuse: Walter Goodman III, his wife Melissa Goodman, Melissa’s daughter Savanna LeFever, and LeFever’s partner Kayla Stemler. All four remain in custody on cash bail and face multiple felony counts of chronic child neglect causing bodily harm and emotional damage. Court hearings are set for late November.
The teenager has since been released from the hospital and is now recovering under the care of other relatives. According to prosecutors and a GoFundMe update, she has begun gaining weight, growing taller and showing significant emotional and physical improvement. Investigators describe the case as an unprecedented example of extreme child neglect in Wisconsin, raising disturbing questions about how such abuse went undetected for years.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
