ONEIDA, WI - A teenage girl, 14, was found weighing just 35 pounds after first responders were called to a home in Oneida, where she lived with her father and stepmother. Authorities said this is one of the worst child abuse cases they've ever seen.
Police found the child, whose identity has not been shared publicly, in August. She was severely malnourished, with respiratory failure, cardiac dysfunction, severe acute hepatitis, and pancreatitis, according to court documents reviewed by FOX 11. The incident has landed four adults behind bars, each of them facing multiple charges of child neglect.
Details surrounding the allegations against the adults, including disturbing text messages sent among them, were disclosed in the criminal complaint filed in Outagamie County.
"Quite frankly, these allegations before the court today are incredibly disturbing. And it's alleged that the minor child was frankly living in a house of horrors," Outagamie County court commissioner Brian Figy said during initial appearances. The suspects arrested in November have been identified as: Walter Goodman, the victim's biological father; his wife, Melissa Goodman; her daughter, Savanna LeFever; and LeFever's partner, Kayla Stemler.
They have all been charged with multiple counts of child neglect, both physical and emotional. The victim was removed from the home in August. Her condition was so severe, doctors and nurses didn't know if she would survive. "I was able to observe photographs of her, and she looked like a skeleton. She was just literally skin and bones at 35 pounds," Outagamie County assistant district attorney Julie DuQuaine said.
The criminal complaint says that the victim went to live with her father in 2020 after he said the girl's biological mother went to jail. It was shortly after arriving at her father's house that the victim made her last trip to the doctor. At the time, she was attending school virtually because of COVID-19.
She was enrolled virtually again for the 2020-2021 school year. The following year, she was reportedly being homeschooled. "She was neglected for several years," DuQuaine said. "She has not gone to the doctor since September 2020. She has not been in school since COVID."
Walter, the father, told police his daughter was autistic and she didn't sleep or eat. He claimed the girl was fed multiple meals a day, but she wouldn't eat, or her lack of sleep led to her burning more calories. However, text messages between the four adults in the house tell a very different story.
In a text, Kayla Stemler wrote to Melissa Goodman: "Just so you know, (victim) was taking more than one bite at a time when Savanna confronted her, she continued to argue with her, so I used the belt." Melissa responded: "That's fine." Another text message exchange illustrates the disdain the adults had for the victim.
Kayla was caring for the victim and texted: "I've only had her since Saturday, and I'm so mad to the bone. I don't know how in the world you do it." Melissa responded: "It's hard tbh and some days I don't want to anymore and wish she'd just go away. I'm just being honest."
Savanna LeFever chimed in: "I just want to karate kick her dumb head." Kayla wrote: "I totally get that." Even the girl's father didn't want her around. In an interview with a friend of Walter's, the man told police that he confronted Walter about how he treated his daughter.
The criminal complaint said that Walter responded by saying: "If I could leave her somewhere in the woods, I'd leave her." The man said Walter, then addressed the girl, saying, "I wish I could kill you." The complaint also states that the girl spent the majority of her time locked in her bedroom. Walter told police he would watch and communicate with the girl through a webcam he had set up in the room. He alleged she would self-harm.
"This is the most egregious case of child neglect I think I have ever seen in my nearly 25-year career," DuQuaine said. The first officer who arrived at the home after responding to a 911 call from Walter said he believed the girl was only six or seven years old based on her size.
The young girl was immediately taken to the hospital and was then transferred to Children's Wisconsin. A nurse caring for the girl noted how her "eyes lit up" as she started listing off all the options of food she could have over the course of her hospitalization. She then told the nurse that her dad would be so mad because he doesn't like it when she eats so much.
"She has now since been released from the hospital and is gaining weight and doing better," DuQuaine said. The charges the four adults face carry more than 80 years in prison. The four remain in the Outagamie County Jail. Bail for the Goodmans and Stemler is set at $150,000 cash. LeFever's bail is $100,000.
Police found the child, whose identity has not been shared publicly, in August. She was severely malnourished, with respiratory failure, cardiac dysfunction, severe acute hepatitis, and pancreatitis, according to court documents reviewed by FOX 11. The incident has landed four adults behind bars, each of them facing multiple charges of child neglect.
Details surrounding the allegations against the adults, including disturbing text messages sent among them, were disclosed in the criminal complaint filed in Outagamie County.
"Quite frankly, these allegations before the court today are incredibly disturbing. And it's alleged that the minor child was frankly living in a house of horrors," Outagamie County court commissioner Brian Figy said during initial appearances. The suspects arrested in November have been identified as: Walter Goodman, the victim's biological father; his wife, Melissa Goodman; her daughter, Savanna LeFever; and LeFever's partner, Kayla Stemler.
They have all been charged with multiple counts of child neglect, both physical and emotional. The victim was removed from the home in August. Her condition was so severe, doctors and nurses didn't know if she would survive. "I was able to observe photographs of her, and she looked like a skeleton. She was just literally skin and bones at 35 pounds," Outagamie County assistant district attorney Julie DuQuaine said.
The criminal complaint says that the victim went to live with her father in 2020 after he said the girl's biological mother went to jail. It was shortly after arriving at her father's house that the victim made her last trip to the doctor. At the time, she was attending school virtually because of COVID-19.
She was enrolled virtually again for the 2020-2021 school year. The following year, she was reportedly being homeschooled. "She was neglected for several years," DuQuaine said. "She has not gone to the doctor since September 2020. She has not been in school since COVID."
Walter, the father, told police his daughter was autistic and she didn't sleep or eat. He claimed the girl was fed multiple meals a day, but she wouldn't eat, or her lack of sleep led to her burning more calories. However, text messages between the four adults in the house tell a very different story.
In a text, Kayla Stemler wrote to Melissa Goodman: "Just so you know, (victim) was taking more than one bite at a time when Savanna confronted her, she continued to argue with her, so I used the belt." Melissa responded: "That's fine." Another text message exchange illustrates the disdain the adults had for the victim.
Kayla was caring for the victim and texted: "I've only had her since Saturday, and I'm so mad to the bone. I don't know how in the world you do it." Melissa responded: "It's hard tbh and some days I don't want to anymore and wish she'd just go away. I'm just being honest."
Savanna LeFever chimed in: "I just want to karate kick her dumb head." Kayla wrote: "I totally get that." Even the girl's father didn't want her around. In an interview with a friend of Walter's, the man told police that he confronted Walter about how he treated his daughter.
The criminal complaint said that Walter responded by saying: "If I could leave her somewhere in the woods, I'd leave her." The man said Walter, then addressed the girl, saying, "I wish I could kill you." The complaint also states that the girl spent the majority of her time locked in her bedroom. Walter told police he would watch and communicate with the girl through a webcam he had set up in the room. He alleged she would self-harm.
"This is the most egregious case of child neglect I think I have ever seen in my nearly 25-year career," DuQuaine said. The first officer who arrived at the home after responding to a 911 call from Walter said he believed the girl was only six or seven years old based on her size.
The young girl was immediately taken to the hospital and was then transferred to Children's Wisconsin. A nurse caring for the girl noted how her "eyes lit up" as she started listing off all the options of food she could have over the course of her hospitalization. She then told the nurse that her dad would be so mad because he doesn't like it when she eats so much.
"She has now since been released from the hospital and is gaining weight and doing better," DuQuaine said. The charges the four adults face carry more than 80 years in prison. The four remain in the Outagamie County Jail. Bail for the Goodmans and Stemler is set at $150,000 cash. LeFever's bail is $100,000.
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