Walter Goodman appears in Outagamie County court, Nov. 11, 2025. (Outagamie County courts/Zoom)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A competency exam was ordered Thursday for Walter Goodman, the man whose teenage daughter was hospitalized weighing just 35 pounds.
Goodman, 47, faces five charges: three counts of chronic neglect of a child – consequence is great bodily harm and two counts of chronic neglect of a child – consequence is emotional damage.
Goodman’s attorney raised the issue of mental competency, which refers to a suspect’s ability to understand the court proceedings and assist in their own defense. If Goodman is deemed not competent to stand trial, the case against him would be put on hold while he receives psychiatric treatment.
A psychiatric exam was ordered Thursday by Judge Yadira Rein. The results will be discussed at a hearing July 7.
Three other adults who lived in the home with Goodman were also charged in the case:
- Melissa Goodman, Walter’s wife and the girl’s stepmother, was convicted and will be sentenced July 1
- Savanna LeFever, Melissa Goodman’s daughter, has a pre-trial conference June 17
- Kayla Stemler, LeFever’s partner, was convicted and will be sentenced Aug. 24
The criminal complaint states Goodman called 911 in August to report his daughter was lethargic, moaning and almost comatose. According to the criminal complaint, the first officer on scene at the Hattie Lane home said the girl looked to be only 6-8 years old. Hospital employees said she weighed less than 40 pounds.
“The last time she saw a medical provider was approximately five years before this incident came to light,” Assistant District Attorney Julie DuQuaine said at a previous court hearing. “She was very, very close to death — 35 pounds at 14 years old.”
The complaint said Goodman told authorities his daughter didn’t like to eat or sleep. He claimed they’d offer her meals, but she wouldn’t eat.
Hospital employees said the teen suffered from severe malnutrition. She had signs of multiorgan dysfunction, including respiratory failure, cardiac dysfunction, severe acute hepatitis and pancreatitis, among other issues.
The criminal complaint said while the girl was hospitalized, one of the nurses explained to the victim she would get three meals a day. The nurse noted the girl’s “eyes lit up as she started listing off all the options of food she could have over the course of her hospitalization.” The girl then said her dad would be “so mad” because he doesn’t like when she eats so much.
The criminal complaint also included a litany of text messages by the defendants, calling the victim a “dummy” and “stupid.”
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