OUTAGAMIE COUNTY (NBC 26) — Another co-defendant in a child abuse case in Outagamie County was sentenced to prison Monday.
Kayla Stemler, 28, was at the Outagamie County courthouse for a sentencing hearing after reaching a plea deal in May.
After lengthy testimony from witnesses and arguments from both the state and defense, Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Vincent Biskupic ordered Stemler to spend four years in prison and 18 months of extended supervision for the count of chronic neglect of a child causing great bodily harm. For the count of chronic neglect of a child causing emotional damage, Stemler was ordered to serve an additional four years behind bars with another 18 months of extended supervision. For a count of false imprisonment, Stemler was ordered to serve probation.
All sentences are to be served consecutively, meaning Stemler will serve a total of eight years in prison before potentially being released.
Charges stem from the case of a severely malnourished 14-year-old girl who 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.
Melissa Goodman, Walter Goodman and Savanna Lefever were also charged in connection with the case. Melissa Goodman was convicted in May after reaching a plea deal and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Lefever has a plea hearing later this week. Meanwhile, Walter Goodman is still going through court proceedings after his defense raised a competency issue.
