Wisconsin Teen Found Weighing Just 35 Pounds After Being Locked in Bedroom Under Surveillance, Police Say
ONEIDA, WISCONSIN — Four adults have been arrested after a 14-year-old girl was found severely malnourished, weighing just 35 pounds and living under strict confinement in a locked bedroom monitored by a surveillance camera, according to police and court documents.
Father Called 911 After Girl Became Critically Ill
The investigation began on Aug. 21, when 47-year-old Walter Goodman called 911 saying his daughter had been sick for days and was vomiting. But when first responders arrived, they found a scene far more disturbing than an illness.
The teen appeared to be the size of a 6- to 8-year-old child and had visibly protruding bones. She was rushed to a hospital where doctors documented hypothermia, hypoglycemia, multi-organ dysfunction, and almost no body fat.
The teenager weighed just 35 pounds.
Hospital records show she had no medical care for at least five years.
Investigators Say Girl Was Confined, Deprived, and Isolated
Court documents allege the teen was forced to live in a bedroom with bolt locks, had restricted bathroom access, and was monitored by a camera her father kept in her room.
The four people arrested were:
- Walter Goodman, 47 (father)
- Melissa Goodman, 50 (stepmother)
- Savanna Lefever, 29 (stepmother’s adult daughter)
- Kayla Stemler, 27 (Lefever’s partner)
They each face multiple felony counts of chronic child neglect resulting in great bodily harm and emotional damage.
According to the complaint, Walter Goodman claimed the girl was autistic, refused food, and burned energy because “she never slept.” But hospital staff found no signs of severe autism, no sleep issues, and the teen said she enjoyed her family.
Investigators quickly realized the stories didn’t add up.
“Real Food Only If She Does Well”: Texts Show Punishments and Control
Authorities reviewed messages between the adults describing rigid control over the girl’s basic needs, such as bathroom visits, meals, and sleeping on the floor.
In one text, Lefever wrote:
“If she does well, we were gonna give her real food.”
Screenshots also showed the adults calling the girl “dummy” and “stupid.”
A friend of Walter Goodman told police that Goodman once said:
“If I could leave her in the woods, I’d leave her.”
He also admitted keeping her locked in her room for long periods.
Hospital Staff Say Teen Was Excited Just to Eat
During her hospital stay, nurses reported that the girl asked about food options almost immediately and showed excitement when told she’d receive three meals a day.
One nurse documented that when the girl requested a second chocolate pudding, she whispered:
“My dad will be so mad.”
Asked why, she responded:
“He doesn’t like when I eat this much.”
The teen reportedly told hospital staff she showered “maybe weekly or monthly” and was so weak she couldn’t lift her arms fully.
Girl Kept Out of School and Away From Mother for Years
The victim previously lived with her mother but had no contact with her after 2020. She hadn’t attended school in person since the early pandemic and was supposedly homeschooled from 2021 to 2025 — though investigators found no documentation of schooling.
Her third-grade teacher described her as a normal, friendly child with no eating issues and no signs of autism.
All Four Defendants Face Serious Felony Charges
The four adults remain charged with:
- 3 counts of chronic child neglect causing great bodily harm
- 2 counts of chronic child neglect causing emotional damage
They were arrested on Nov. 10 following what police described as an “extensive” neglect investigation.
The teen remains in protective custody as the criminal case moves forward.
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