In a shocking case that has drawn national attention, a white couple from West Virginia is facing serious charges related to child neglect and forced labour. Donald Ray Lantz, 63, and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 62, were arraigned in Kanawha County court on Tuesday, where they pleaded not guilty to multiple offences.
The allegations against Lantz and Whitefeather include:
- Human Trafficking of a Minor Child: The couple is accused of trafficking their adopted black children, subjecting them to forced labour.
- Use of a Minor Child in Forced Labor: Prosecutors claim that the children were forced to work under harsh conditions, effectively treated as “slaves.”
- Child Neglect Creating Substantial Risk: The couple’s actions allegedly put the children at risk of serious bodily harm or death due to neglect.
Additionally, the couple faces accusations of human rights violations, specifically targeting their black children based on their race.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers expressed her concern, stating that the children were “used basically as slaves.” The indictment provides further details about the alleged mistreatment.
The investigation began in October 2023 when a wellness check led authorities to the couple’s property in Sissonville. There, they discovered two of the couple’s five adopted children living in inhumane conditions. The children, aged six, nine, 11, 14, and 16, were reportedly locked in a barn.
Whitefeather, in a previous statement to the court, claimed that the barn was a “teenage clubhouse” and denied that the children were locked inside. However, the evidence presented suggests otherwise.
