Michelle Coffman, 35, entered a blind guilty plea in Comanche County District Court this week to child abuse, child neglect, and two counts of animal cruelty. The charges stem from the treatment of her 10-year-old stepdaughter, who weighed just 46 pounds when she was removed from the family’s Lawton home in August 2025. A DHS investigator testified the girl likely had only weeks to live. Prosecutors say the child was locked in her room, given bologna sandwiches and roughly 3 ounces of water a day, and monitored by a camera.
Two family dogs were also found severely underweight and removed by Animal Welfare. Coffman’s husband, 43-year-old Michael Coffman, is already serving concurrent 10-year sentences for enabling child neglect. At this week’s hearing, defense attorney Bobby Lewis asked Judge Grant Sheperd for no more prison time than the husband received. The hearing was continued after about an hour, and sentencing is now scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday. Assistant District Attorney Rylee Seabol is prosecuting, and each child abuse charge carries up to life in prison.
Child starvation cases often involve refeeding syndrome, a dangerous shift in the body’s chemistry when a malnourished person starts eating again, which is why medical teams monitor recovery so closely. For Lawton, a community built around Fort Sill and tight school networks, this case is a reminder of how often teachers, coaches, and neighbors are the ones who first notice something wrong.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.