A West Virginia couple, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, have been sentenced to a combined total of 375 years in prison for forcing their five adopted black children to work on their farm as “slaves” while subjecting them to racial slurs. The couple was convicted of forced labor, human trafficking, and child abuse and neglect earlier this year.
During the sentencing, Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers condemned the couple, stating that they had turned the children’s lives into a living hell. The judge handed down the maximum sentence to both Whitefeather and Lantz, expressing no mercy towards their actions.
The four oldest children, now teenagers, wrote emotional letters to their adoptive parents, detailing the trauma they endured under their care. The children described suffering from trust issues and nightmares as a result of the abuse they faced.
The couple adopted the five siblings in Minnesota before relocating to a farm in Washington state and eventually settling in Sissonville, West Virginia. The abuse came to light when the eldest daughter and her teenage brother were found locked in a shed on the couple’s property, leading to their arrest.
Police discovered the children living in deplorable conditions, with some locked in a barn without proper bedding or sanitation facilities. The siblings were forced to perform hard labor and endure verbal abuse while being fed minimally and subjected to racist language.
Neighbors testified during the trial that they never saw the children playing outside and noticed them standing in line or working on the farm. The children were kept mostly indoors to avoid detection by curious neighbors. The eldest daughter recounted instances of physical labor and verbal abuse, highlighting the harsh conditions they were subjected to.
The defense attorneys argued that the couple was overwhelmed after taking in the children, who had already suffered abuse from their biological parents. However, the prosecution painted a different picture, emphasizing the systemic abuse and neglect the children faced under Whitefeather and Lantz’s care.
Overall, the sentencing of the West Virginia couple serves as a harsh reminder of the consequences of child abuse and exploitation. The children, now in the care of Child Protective Services, will hopefully receive the support and care they need to heal from the trauma they endured.
