Rescue operations saved a 14-year-old girl weighing only 2.5 stone from what is being described as a nightmarish household, where her overweight family members allegedly confined her and withheld food as a form of punishment.
Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered the emaciated girl, showing signs of severe malnourishment. Based on police reports obtained by The Mirror, the teenager exhibited pronounced collar bones, rib cage, hip, and cheek bones, resembling the size of a child aged six to eight.
When questioned about the girl’s condition, the girl’s biological father, Walter Goodman, 47, reportedly stated that “she doesn’t like to eat” and discontinued medical care, citing one physician as “weird.” Records indicate that Goodman asserted the girl suffered from autism and had been solely under Walter’s care since May 2020.
Authorities in Wisconsin were alerted on August 21 when Goodman sought help after the girl fell ill and became “comatose,” allegedly having gone without food for several days. Emergency responders swiftly transported her to the hospital, where medical professionals diagnosed her with hepatitis, multiple organ dysfunction, and severe malnutrition.
“Outagamie County assistant district attorney Julie DuQuaine described the girl as “resembling a skeleton. She was practically just skin and bones, weighing 35lbs (2.5st).” While the weight of a teenager can vary, data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that the average weight for a 14-year-old girl in the country was around 9st.
Documents also disclosed that Walter allegedly informed a friend: “If she misbehaves, I won’t feed her. I confine her to her room with a surveillance camera, and that’s where she stays.”
Text messages exchanged among Walter, his wife Melissa Goodman, 51, Melissa’s daughter, her daughter’s girlfriend Savanna Lefever, 29, and Layla Stemler, 28, hinted at further alleged mistreatment. Stemler purportedly mentioned in a text to her partner’s mother: “Just to let you know [victim’s name] was taking more than one bite at a time and when Savanna confronted her, she continued to argue, so I used the belt.”
The father reportedly expressed a similar sentiment towards his daughter, allegedly remarking once: “If I could abandon her in the woods, I would.” The family is accused of confining the girl in a room without a bed, and depriving her of sustenance and water as a disciplinary measure.
The girl has been relocated from the residence and is progressing towards recovery after being placed in the care of another family. Healthcare providers noted that the girl displayed no aversion to food and claimed that Goodman would become upset if she ate excessively.
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