From Law & Crime · · 3m
Dad Convicted of Starving 14-Year-Old in Home
Wisconsin father sentenced for starving 14-year-old daughter with camera and alarm in room.
In brief
Wisconsin father sentenced for starving 14-year-old daughter with camera and alarm in room. Walter Goodman, 42, convicted of chronic neglect and false imprisonment after allegedly starving 14-year-old daughter for years. Originally reported by Law & Crime.
Conviction
Walter Goodman pleaded no contest to two counts of chronic neglect of a child with one resulting in great bodily harm and one in emotional damage, plus false imprisonment.
Victim Condition
Authorities found the girl weighing 35 pounds and 'very, very close to death' in August 2025 with visible collarbone, rib cage, hips and cheekbones.
911 Call
Walter Goodman called 911 on August 21, 2025, saying his daughter was autistic, had not eaten in 'the last four [or] five days', and appeared comatose.
Hospitalization
Doctors diagnosed severe malnourishment with glucose level of 24, hypothermia, and multiple bedsores, fearing catastrophic organ failure within 72 hours.
House of Horrors
Walter Goodman is one of four adults charged after authorities discovered the girl in a 'house of horrors' with stepmother Melissa Goodman, stepsister Savanna LeFever, and partner Kayla Stemler.
Stepmother Sentence
Melissa Goodman previously sentenced to 15 years in prison; Kayla Stemler received an eight-year sentence; Savanna LeFever scheduled for sentencing December 3.
Child's Room
After Walter Goodman gained custody in 2020, the girl stopped attending school and was allegedly kept inside her bedroom with a camera and alarm on the door.
Friend's Account
A friend heard Walter Goodman threaten to withhold food if the girl acted out, saying he kept her locked up with a camera on her and that was where she stayed.
Food Denial
The girl was allegedly denied food and water while adults monitored her through the bedroom camera.
Window Blanket
A blanket had been nailed over the girl's window, preventing her from leaving her bedroom without supervision.
Sentence Date
Walter Goodman scheduled for sentencing February 2, 2027, with a maximum penalty of 28 years in prison.
Child's Condition
The girl appeared to be the size of a 6- to 8-year-old child with her collarbone, rib cage, hips and cheekbones prominently visible.
Hospital Transfer
The girl was taken to a hospital in Green Bay before being airlifted to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.
Medical Concerns
Doctors found the girl had a glucose level of 24, was hypothermic, and had multiple bedsores, fearing catastrophic organ failure within 72 hours.
Child's Age
The girl was 14 years old when authorities discovered her in August 2025.
Child's Health
The girl was diagnosed with severe malnourishment and had a glucose level of 24, hypothermia, and multiple bedsores.
What it means
Walter Goodman, 42, convicted of chronic neglect and false imprisonment after allegedly starving 14-year-old daughter for years.
