In a disturbing case from Wisconsin, a stepmother accused of starving her 14-year-old stepdaughter, who weighs a mere 35 pounds, has pleaded no contest. This plea from Melissa Goodman, 52, could result in a prison sentence of up to 46 years if she receives the harshest penalty possible. The charges she faces include chronic neglect leading to severe bodily harm, emotional damage, and false imprisonment.
Goodman’s sentencing is scheduled for July 1.
Authorities allege that Goodman, alongside her husband Walter Goodman, deliberately deprived her autistic stepdaughter of essential nourishment and hydration.
Additionally, Goodman’s biological daughter, Savanna Goodman, and her partner, Kayla Stemler, are also implicated in the alleged abuse, as reported by People.
According to Wisconsin prosecutors, the family allegedly confined the teenager to a bedroom devoid of a mattress, severely restricting her movement to just that room over the years, while also denying her access to food and water.
The family is accused of locking the teen in a bedroom without a mattress, restricting her to only her room for years and depriving her of food and water, according to Wisconsin prosecutors.
The mobile home they lived in became a house of horrors for the teenager, who was mistaken for a 6-year-old when she was found by cops in August 2025 and rushed to the hospital.
Walter Goodman, the victim’s father, called 911 to report that his daughter was lethargic and ill.
Responding officers found her weighing just 35 pounds; she was hospitalized with multi-organ dysfunction, including respiratory failure and pancreatitis.
From 2020 until August 2025, the victim, whose name is not disclosed because she is a minor, was allegedly isolated in a trailer on Hattie Lane, in Oneida, Wisconsin.
Extended family members were told she was away on vacation or with other relatives to explain her absence.
