OUTAGAMIE COUNTY (NBC 26) — Melissa Goodman, who is facing five felony counts of chronic neglect of a child, pleaded not guilty to all counts today at an arraignment in Outagamie County.
Goodman’s charges come after a severely malnourished 14-year-old girl was hospitalized last August, weighing just 35 pounds and suffering from organ failure. Investigators say the girl was locked in a room in Oneida and denied care for years before she was found.
Goodman is expected back in court on March 18 for a pre-trial conference.
47-year-old Walter Goodman, 29-year-old Savanna LeFever and 27-year-old Kayla Stemler are also facing felony charges in this case. Walter Goodman is expected to appear for an arraignment on Jan. 30, while LeFever is set to be arraigned in March. Stemler is due for a motion hearing in March and her trial will begin in August.
The victim’s family has since told NBC 26 that she is recovering, out of the hospital, and “doing well.”
