“SHE WAS JUST LYING THERE”!!! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AUTHORITIES SAY KAYLA STEMLER HELPED SUBJECT A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL WITH AUTISM TO SEVERE NEGLECT AND FALSE IMPRISONMENT IN A WISCONSIN HOME… AND SHE HAS NOW BEEN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON.
Kayla Stemler, 28, will spend nearly a decade behind bars.
A Wisconsin judge sentenced her on Monday, August 24.
Stemler received an eight-year prison term.
Her sentence will be followed by three years of extended supervision.
The sentencing came one year after her initial arrest.
Authorities took her into custody for the false imprisonment of a 14-year-old girl with autism.
Investigators discovered the teenager living in what was described as a “house of horrors.”
When officers located the child, she weighed only 35 pounds.
Stemler resolved the charges against her by entering a plea of no contest.
She pleaded no contest to chronic neglect of a child causing bodily harm.
She entered a no-contest plea to chronic neglect of a child causing emotional damage.
And Stemler pleaded no contest to false imprisonment.
Court records state she was accused of neglecting the child in an Oneida, Wisconsin, home in November 2025.
Three other individuals were also charged in connection with the abuse.
The victim’s father, Walter Goodman, was charged for his role in the alleged mistreatment.
His wife, Melissa Goodman, was also charged in the case.
Authorities additionally filed criminal charges against Melissa Goodman’s daughter, Savanna LeFever.
Stemler was LeFever’s partner at the time the abuse was discovered.
On August 21, 2025, the investigation into the household began.
Walter Goodman initiated the inquiry by placing a call to 911.
He told dispatchers that the teenager was “just laying there eyes open all creepy” inside his trailer, according to a criminal complaint viewed by People.
He further reported that the girl was lethargic.
According to the complaint, he stated that she was alternating between throwing up and being comatose.
Responding officers arrived at the residence shortly after the call.
They found that the 14-year-old was severely underweight.
The child weighed only 35 pounds.
She was transported to a hospital for immediate medical intervention.
Former TV Anchor Pleads Guilty to Brutal Halloween Murder of Her Mother After Delusional Claims She Was the Devil
Eight Months Pregnant and Charged With Murder: The Harrowing Case of Keshia Golden and the Lethal Fight for Survival
Bloodshed Over an Eviction: How Luke Howard Murdered His Mother and Aunt Before a Bizarre Walgreens Confession
Doctors at the hospital diagnosed her with respiratory failure.
Medical staff determined she was experiencing cardiac dysfunction.
Physicians found that the girl was suffering from severe acute hepatitis.
She was also diagnosed with pancreatitis.
In addition, medical personnel treated her for hypothermia.
Examinations revealed that she was experiencing hypoglycemia.
The teenager was described as extremely weak.
She did not possess the physical strength to turn on a water faucet.
She was unable to turn on the shower.
Walking was also a severe physical struggle for her.
The girl needed to be supported by a wall just to walk from her bed to the bathroom.
Stemler is the second defendant to receive a sentence in the case.
In May, Melissa Goodman pleaded no contest to the same charges.
Melissa Goodman received a sentence of 15 years of initial confinement, according to WBAY.
Her confinement term will be followed by 10 years of extended supervision.
Yet the remaining two co-defendants have entered formal denials to their charges.
Walter Goodman has pleaded not guilty to three counts of chronic neglect of a child causing great bodily harm.
He has also pleaded not guilty to two counts of chronic neglect of a child causing emotional damage.
Savanna LeFever has pleaded not guilty to three counts of chronic neglect of a child causing great bodily harm.
LeFever has also pleaded not guilty to two counts of chronic neglect of a child causing emotional damage.
After the child was rescued, relatives established a GoFundMe campaign to help support her recovery.
“Her natural positivity and optimism have helped her avoid the depths of despair and depression that often accompany survivors of abuse,” a family member wrote of the victim in November 2025.
“Surrounded by the love of her family and the extended support of those who care for her, she is gradually coming to terms with her past and looking forward to a brighter future.”
In March, a relative provided another update regarding the victim’s physical condition.
The family member referred to the girl as “a miracle.”
“From surviving what she endured to the incredible progress she has made, her resilience is nothing short of astounding,” the family member wrote.
The relative noted that loved ones “will be able to share a more detailed and comprehensive update” once all related criminal cases reach completion.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text the Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
No Comments yet!