- Four adults in Oneida, Wisconsin, charged with chronic child neglect of a malnourished teen
- The 14-year-old girl weighed only 35 pounds and suffered multiorgan failure when found
- She was confined to a locked room with no mattress and denied food, water, and bathroom access
Four adults from a family in Oneida, Wisconsin, have been arrested and charged with chronic child neglect after a 14-year-old girl was discovered severely malnourished, weighing only 35 pounds. The teen was found in August 2025 in a comatose state after her father called emergency services. Doctors reported multiple organ failures, including acute hepatitis and pancreatitis, and described her as skeletal. Her condition was so grave that medics initially feared she would not survive.
According to court documents, the abuse is believed to have started in 2020, Metro reported. The girl was allegedly confined to a locked room with no mattress, forced to sleep on the bare floor, and denied access to regular food, water, and bathroom use. Despite the rest of the household being described as "grossly obese," she was subjected to starvation. A camera was reportedly used to monitor her room. Family members were also found to have sent demeaning text messages, calling her names like "dummy" and "stupid." She was not allowed to play outside or speak freely for years.
The suspects told each other to "only give her water at specific times" and that "she is not to be out of her room at all", according to text messages cited in the complaint.
The teenager was found with pressure sores, a large bruise on her forehead, severe malnutrition and hypothermia. Medical staff diagnosed her with multiorgan dysfunction, including respiratory failure, cardiac issues, hepatitis, pancreatitis, and other complications. She required feeding tubes until she could eat independently, FOX 11 reported.
The girl's father, Walter Goodman III, claimed she was autistic and had an eating disorder that made her refuse food. However, hospital staff noted she ate eagerly once admitted. The teen also told staff her father became angry if she ate too much.
The teenager also told an occupational therapist she bathed "whenever they would let me", maybe weekly or monthly. She lacked basic skills and she needed help with the sink and didn't know what deodorant was. As per the therapist, she could no longer walk or use the bathroom unaided, relying on furniture to move and needing support to stand.
The four individuals charged with chronic child neglect causing bodily harm and emotional damage include Walter Goodman III (father), Melissa Goodman (stepmother), Savanna LeFever (stepmother's daughter) and Kayla Stemler (LeFever's partner). All four remain in custody on cash bail, with court hearings set for late November.
The girl has since been released from the hospital and is recovering under the care of other family members. According to a GoFundMe update and statements from prosecutors, she has gained weight, grown taller, and is making positive strides in both her physical and emotional well-being.
