A 14-year-old girl, weighing just 2.5 stone, was rescued from a suspected abusive household where her overweight family members allegedly confined her and withheld food as a form of punishment. Upon police intervention, the emaciated girl was discovered, exhibiting severe malnourishment with visible protruding bones, resembling that of a much younger child.
The girl’s biological father, Walter Goodman, 47, claimed that the teen’s lack of appetite and his distrust of doctors were reasons for her condition. Records indicate that Goodman asserted the girl was autistic and under his sole care since May 2020.
Authorities in Wisconsin were alerted when the girl fell ill and became “comatose” after days without food. Rushed to the hospital, medical assessments revealed hepatitis, organ dysfunction, and extreme malnutrition.
Describing the girl’s condition, Outagamie County assistant district attorney Julie DuQuaine expressed shock at her skeletal appearance, weighing only 35lbs (2.5st), significantly below the average weight for a 14-year-old girl in the US.
Further revelations from documents suggested that the family subjected the girl to additional abuse, including confinement in her room without basic amenities and food deprivation as punishment.
Following her rescue, the girl is now under the care of another family and showing signs of recovery. Nurses noted that she had no aversion to eating but faced anger from Goodman if she consumed too much.
All four adults involved have been charged with chronic child neglect and are currently in custody with a bail set at $100,000 (£76,627).
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