14-Year-Old Found at 35 Pounds: Four Adults Charged

When a nurse sat with the girl in the hospital and offered her a list of foods she could eat, the girl's eyes lit up as she started naming them one by one. Then she stopped and said her dad would be so mad, because he doesn't like when she eats so much. She weighed 35 pounds. She was 14 years old.

Emergency crews were called to a home in the town of Oneida, Wisconsin, after Walter Goodman, 47, called 911 to report that his daughter was seriously ill and severely underweight. She was lethargic, moaning, and breathing abnormally. What crews found when they arrived prompted one of the most serious child neglect investigations Outagamie County had seen.

What Doctors Found

The girl arrived at the hospital in critical condition. Medical staff documented severe malnutrition, multiorgan dysfunction, respiratory failure, cardiac dysfunction, severe acute hepatitis, and pancreatitis. She was close to death. Doctors stated her condition was consistent with severe neglect over a prolonged period spanning months to years. The last time she had seen any medical provider was approximately five years before she was brought in.

She had been homeschooled since 2021. The criminal complaint noted that it was unclear what, if any, educational curriculum was being provided to her at home, raising concerns for educational neglect as well.

Who Lived in That Home

Four adults were charged following the investigation. Walter Goodman and his wife Melissa Goodman, 51, lived in the home along with Savanna LeFever, 29, and Kayla Stemler, 28. All four face multiple felony counts of chronic child neglect, with charges collectively carrying more than 80 years in prison.

The criminal complaint alleged that Melissa Goodman and LeFever were "extremely obese to the point of being nearly bed-bound, and rarely left the residence." A friend of Walter Goodman told authorities that he kept the girl locked in her bedroom with a camera on her. Text messages recovered from the home showed members of the household sending messages calling the girl "stupid."

What She Said in the Hospital

The moment that defined how nurses and investigators understood the full weight of what had happened came early in the girl's hospitalization. A nurse offered her food options, and the girl's face changed. Her eyes lit up as she listed everything she could eat. Then she caught herself and said her dad would be so mad, because he doesn't like when she eats so much. That single statement, made while she was still recovering from organ failure, told medical staff everything about the environment she had come from.

Outagamie County Assistant District Attorney Julie DuQuaine, who has nearly 25 years in the field, described it as the most egregious case of child neglect she had ever seen in her career.

Where the Case Stands

Melissa Goodman agreed to plead no contest to one count of chronic neglect of a child with consequence of great bodily harm, one count of chronic neglect of a child with consequence of emotional damage, and one count of false imprisonment, with three additional neglect counts dismissed as part of the agreement. Her sentencing is scheduled for a May 6 hearing. The remaining three defendants, Walter Goodman, Savanna LeFever, and Kayla Stemler, still face their respective charges.

The girl is no longer in that home. Relatives told Fox 11 that she is now living with family on her mother's side and is continuing to recover.