A 14-year-old girl was reportedly confined to her bedroom and deprived of food for a minimum of two years while her severely overweight family members observed her through a webcam.
Authorities initially mistook the emaciated girl for a much younger child when they discovered her in Wisconsin, weighing only 2.5 stone. She disclosed that she had not been outdoors since she was around ten to twelve years old. Hospital staff had to resort to using a feeding tube due to her extreme malnourishment until she could resume eating on her own.
Four individuals, including her father Walter Goodman, 47, who alerted emergency services, have been arrested on numerous charges of chronic child neglect. His wife Melissa Goodman, 50, their daughter Savanna LeFever, 29, and LeFever’s partner Kayla Stemler, 27, who all cohabited with the victim, are facing similar accusations.
According to documents reviewed by the Daily Mirror, the girl moved in with her father, stepmother, and step-siblings in 2020 after her mother was incarcerated. Allegations suggest that she had minimal access to basic necessities like food, water, and bathroom facilities and was confined to a locked room with minimal communication allowed. Her father justified the surveillance camera in her room by citing past self-harm incidents and claimed to have fitted an alarm on her door.
Reports indicate that the father made disturbing statements regarding withholding food as a form of punishment. He also portrayed the girl as exhibiting strange behavior during a phone call to emergency services. Medical professionals diagnosed the girl with severe malnutrition and multiple organ dysfunctions upon her rescue.
Fortunately, the victim is now in stable condition and recovering with other relatives. A GoFundMe page has been established to aid in her rehabilitation, which has already raised a significant amount of funds. The individuals responsible for the abuse are scheduled to appear in court soon.