A 14-year-old girl was reportedly confined in her bedroom and deprived of food for over two years while her extremely overweight family monitored her via a webcam.
Authorities initially mistook the emaciated teenager for a much younger child when they discovered her in Wisconsin, weighing only 2.5 stone. She disclosed that she had not stepped outside since she was between ten to twelve years old and had to be fed through a tube due to severe malnourishment.
Four individuals, including her father Walter Goodman, 47, who alerted emergency services, have been taken into custody on multiple charges of ongoing child neglect. Among the arrested are Melissa Goodman, 50, the girl’s stepmother, Savanna LeFever, 29, her stepsister, and LeFever’s partner, Kayla Stemler, 27, all residing in the same household with the victim.
According to allegations outlined in the legal documents, the girl moved in with her father and stepfamily in 2020 after her mother’s imprisonment. She had limited access to food, water, and bathroom amenities, and was kept in a locked room with minimal communication allowed. The family members allegedly made derogatory remarks about her in text messages and exhibited abusive behavior towards her.
Medical professionals diagnosed the girl with severe malnutrition and multiple organ complications upon her discovery. She is currently in stable condition and undergoing recovery with relatives, showing signs of improvement.
A fundraising page has been set up to support her rehabilitation, indicating that she has exhibited significant progress in her physical health and emotional well-being. The accused individuals are scheduled to appear in court in the upcoming weeks for further legal proceedings.