Police tape covers the porch of a town of Oneida home Nov. 11, 2025, after three adults living there were arrested in a child neglect case. PC: Fox 11 Online
WARNING: Some of the details in this story are disturbing.
A 14-year-old girl weighing just 35 pounds: That’s what emergency crews found when they were called to a town of Oneida home.
Outagamie County officials call this one of the worst child abuse cases they’ve ever seen.
It landed four adults behind bars, facing multiple charges of child neglect.
Further details are explained 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.
Victim’s condition
The victim was removed from the home in August. In addition to being severely malnourished, the girl suffered from multiorgan dysfunction, including respiratory failure, cardiac dysfunction, severe acute hepatitis and pancreatitis.
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 in court.
Suspects and charges
These are the suspects, all arrested in November: Walter Goodman, who is the victim’s biological father; his wife, Melissa Goodman; along with her adult daughter Savanna LeFever and LeFever’s partner, Kayla Stemler.
They’re all charged with multiple counts of chronic child neglect — both physical and emotional.
The criminal complaint says 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 home that the victim made her last trip the doctor. At the time, she was was attending school virtually because of COVID-19.
And while the complaint said she was enrolled virtually again for the 2020-2021 school year, the following year she was reportedly being homeschooled.
“She was neglected for a number of years,” DuQuaine said. “She has not gone to the doctor since September 2020. She has not been in school since COVID.”
Walter Goodman told authorities 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.
Shocking text messages
Text message between the adults in the house tell a different story.
Kayla Stemler texted Melissa Goodman:
Just so you know (victim) was taking more than one bite at a time and when Savanna confronted her, she continued to argue with her, so I used the belt.
Melissa Goodman responded:
That’s fine
Another text message exchange, in the criminal complaint, illustrates the disdain the adults had for the victim.
As Kayla Stemler was caring for the victim, she writes:
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 Goodman responds:
Its 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 chimes in:
I just want to karate kick her dumb head.
Stemler responds:
I totally get that.
Even the girl’s father didn’t want her around. In an interview with a friend of Walter Goodman, the man told police he confronted Goodman about how he treated his daughter.
The complaint said Goodman responded by saying: “If I could leave her somewhere in the woods, I’d leave her.”
The man said Goodman then addressed the girl, saying, “I wish I could kill you.”
The complaint also says the girl spent the majority of time locked in her room. Walter Goodman told authorities he would watch and communicate with the girl through a webcam he had set up in her room. He claimed 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.
Victim begins recovery
This case was only discovered after Walter Goodman called 911 in August to report the girl was very weak and lethargic.
The first officer to arrive at the home said he believed the child, because of her size, was only about six or seven years old.
She was immediately hospitalized in Green Bay before being transferred to Children’s Wisconsin near Milwaukee. A nurse caring for the girl, upon explaining to the victim she would get three meals a day, noted the girl’s “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 said her dad would be so mad because he doesn’t like when she eats so much.
“She has now since been released from the hospital and is gaining weight and doing better,” DuQuaine said.
What’s next
The charges Walter and Melissa Goodman along with Savanna LeFever and Kayla Stemler are facing 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.
All four will be back in court later this month for preliminary hearings.
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