Adopted African-American kids allegedly mistreated and enslaved by Caucasian West Virginia couple behind bars
West Virginia Couple Convicted of Human Trafficking and Child Abuse
A West Virginia couple, Donald Ray Lantz (63) and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather (62), have been found guilty and sentenced for their involvement in human trafficking, forced labor, and child abuse involving their adopted children.
The couple's arrest followed a wellness check on their Sissonville property, which revealed deplorable living conditions for their adopted Black children. The neighbor's call led to the wellness check, uncovering the children's living conditions without basic necessities like lights, running water, and mattresses.
The trial, scheduled for 9 September 2024, saw the couple plead not guilty initially but were ultimately convicted. The guilty verdict occurred after their trial, with the jury deliberations taking place by early 2025, and the conviction reported in mid-2025.
The indictment alleges that the couple selected the children because of their race and forced them to work on their farmland. Reports suggest that the children were locked in sheds and used as laborers.
The case drew considerable attention as the abuse reportedly included locking the children away and treating them like slaves. The couple's bond was raised to $500,000 each, but they were taken back into custody after their bonds were raised.
Prosecutors argue that the bond money was linked to human trafficking and forced labor. They also want the bond money to be transferred from state custody to a trust fund for the children.
The couple's home was sold for $295,000 on 28 March, and they sold an 80-acre ranch in Tonasket, Washington, for $725,000 on 2 February. The children reported continuous abuse at both the West Virginia home and the couple's other residence in Washington state.
Inside the main residence, a 9-year-old girl was found, while two more children, an 11-year-old boy, and a 6-year-old girl, were later found with the couple. A wellness check led to the discovery of two teenagers locked in a decrepit shed, with minimal food, no lights or running water, and open sores on the boy's feet.
Judge Maryclaire Akers, describing the indictment as one of the worst she's ever encountered, stated that the children were treated as slaves. Additional charges against Whitefeather include civil rights violations.
The guilty verdict comes as a relief for the children who will now receive justice and hopefully begin to heal from their traumatic experiences. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of child welfare and the need for vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from abuse and exploitation.
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This West Virginia case, centered on a couple convicted of human trafficking and child abuse, has ignited conversations in the realm of general-news and crime-and-justice. The trial, amidst charges of forcing children, selected due to their race, to work as laborers under inhumane conditions, raises questions about the protection of children from exploitation and the gravity of such crimes.
