A 14-year-old girl was reportedly confined in her bedroom and deprived of food for over two years, while her severely overweight family monitored her through a webcam.
Initially mistaken for a much younger child, the girl was found weighing only 2.5 stone at her residence in Wisconsin. She disclosed that she had not been outdoors since she was around ten to twelve years old. Hospital personnel had to resort to using a feeding tube due to her extreme malnourishment until she could eat independently.
Four individuals, including the girl’s father, Walter Goodman, 47, have been arrested on multiple counts of chronic child neglect. His wife Melissa Goodman, 50, their daughter, Savanna LeFever, 29, and LeFever’s partner, Kayla Stemler, 27, all cohabiting with the victim, are facing the same charges.
According to allegations detailed in official reports, the girl moved in with her father and stepfamily in 2020 after her mother’s incarceration. She had limited access to basic necessities and was confined to a locked room, sleeping on a bare floor. The adults in the household restricted her communication and monitored her with a webcam and door alarm due to a history of self-harm.
In a distressing phone call to emergency services, Walter claimed his daughter was ill and autistic, a claim refuted by her former teacher. Medical assessments revealed the girl was severely underweight and malnourished, appearing similar in size to a much younger child.
The victim, diagnosed with severe malnutrition and multiple organ dysfunctions, is now stable and recovering with extended family. A GoFundMe page has been set up to aid her recuperation, reporting significant progress in her physical and emotional well-being.
Scheduled to appear in court soon, the accused individuals remain under legal scrutiny for their alleged roles in the girl’s harrowing ordeal.