Outagamie County, WI – Three adults in Wisconsin have been charged with severe child neglect after authorities found a 14-year-old girl weighing just 35 pounds, malnourished, injured, and “very, very close to death” inside a home described as a “house of horrors.” The victim’s father, Walter S. Goodman, her adult stepsister Savanna LeFever, and LeFever’s partner Kayla Stemler now face multiple felony charges for what prosecutors say is one of the worst neglect cases in decades.
The Incident: Teen Found on Brink of Death
On August 21, Goodman called 911 around 5:30 p.m., telling dispatchers his autistic daughter had not eaten for 4–5 days and appeared “comatose.” He claimed her condition was due to “normal kid stuff,” adding:
“She’s just laying there with her eyes open all creepy… She does a lot of self-harm… she just don’t eat.”
First responders arrived to find the girl emaciated, her collarbone, ribs, hips, and cheekbones sharply visible, and her body resembling that of a 6- to 8-year-old child. Paramedics rushed her to St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, but due to the severity of her condition, she was flown to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee for emergency intervention.
Doctors said the girl suffered from severe malnourishment, a glucose level of 24, bedsores, a forehead bruise, a temperature of 100.6, and was hypothermic. They warned she could face catastrophic organ failure within 72 hours.
Investigation and Evidence: Abuse Behind Closed Doors
According to the criminal complaint, Goodman admitted to keeping a camera in the child’s bedroom and installing an alarm on her door, supposedly because she “self-harmed” and “didn’t sleep.” He insisted she lost weight due to insomnia, not abuse.
But witnesses and evidence painted a different picture.
One of Goodman’s friends told investigators that the father kept the girl “locked up in her bedroom with a camera on her.” He recalled Goodman saying:
“If she misbehaves, I’m not going to feed her today.”
“I wish I could kill you.”
“If I could leave her somewhere in the woods, I’d leave her.”
Investigators also discovered that the teen had no medical records for the past five years, aligning with the time she began living with Goodman, her stepmother, and adult stepsister after her biological mother went to jail.
A schoolteacher from 2019–2020 remembered the victim as “healthy, friendly, talkative” and not autistic, contradicting Goodman’s claims. The teacher said she was a normal third-grade student, active and appropriately social.
Additional Abuse from Stepfamily Members
During periods when Goodman and his wife were away for another child’s cancer treatments, LeFever and Stemler were responsible for watching the victim. Investigators allege the pair continued the pattern of abuse, failing to feed or care for the girl and contributing to her critical condition.
Medical staff noted that the girl’s overall condition reflected long-term starvation and neglect, not sudden illness.
Court Proceedings and Charges Filed
During a Tuesday court hearing, Outagamie County Assistant District Attorney Julie DuQuaine described the case as:
“The most egregious case of child neglect I have ever seen in my nearly 25-year career.”
Court Commissioner Brian Figy, who presided over the hearing, called the allegations “incredibly disturbing,” adding:
“It’s alleged that the minor child was frankly living in a house of horrors.”
All three defendants were charged with chronic child neglect resulting in great bodily harm and emotional damage, among other counts. Bail was set at:
- $150,000 cash bond for Walter Goodman
- $150,000 cash bond for Kayla Stemler
- $100,000 cash bond for Savanna LeFever
Court dates for further hearings have not yet been announced.
Background and Context: Rising Concerns Over Hidden Abuse
Child welfare experts warn that cases like this often involve isolated children, controlling caregivers, and lack of outside oversight, making long-term abuse harder to detect. The absence of medical visits, school records, or interactions with mandated reporters allowed the girl’s condition to deteriorate without intervention.
Authorities emphasize that untreated malnutrition and physical neglect in teens can rapidly become life-threatening, underscoring the urgency of medical care and oversight in vulnerable households.
Ongoing Developments and Next Steps
The victim remains under specialized medical care, with doctors monitoring her physical recovery and arranging support for long-term psychological trauma. Prosecutors say more charges may be added as the investigation continues.
Child protective services have removed other minors from the home while investigators assess the broader safety risks.
Conclusion
The discovery of a 14-year-old weighing just 35 pounds has shaken the Wisconsin community, prompting calls for stronger safeguards and oversight for vulnerable children. As the case proceeds, prosecutors vow to pursue full accountability for those responsible for what they describe as unimaginable cruelty and neglect.
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