A West Virginia couple will spend the rest of their lives behind bars after being convicted of forcing their Black adopted children into slavery on their farm.
Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, and Donald Lantz, 62, adopted five kids—ranging in age from 6 to 16—from a shelter for vulnerable and homeless youth. Prosecutors say the couple specifically chose the children because of their race, then subjected them to years of unimaginable abuse. The kids were forced into hard labor, deprived of basic necessities, and treated as nothing more than slaves.
The horrific situation came to light in October 2023 when a concerned neighbor called Child Protective Services. When deputies arrived at the couple’s home in Sissonville, they made a disturbing discovery—two of the children, 14 and 16 years old, locked in a shed with nothing but a portable toilet and no running water. They told authorities they had been trapped inside for 12 hours, forced to sleep on the cold floor.
Inside the home, things weren’t much better. A 9-year-old was found locked inside alone, while Lantz later showed up with an 11-year-old. Authorities were eventually led to a 6-year-old girl who had been staying with family friends.
Court documents painted a grim picture—the children wore filthy clothes, one had sores on his feet, and all had been living in appalling conditions. Whitefeather and Lantz were hit with a 16-count indictment, including charges of human trafficking, forced labor, and violating the children’s civil rights. Despite pleading not guilty, they were convicted in January.
During sentencing, Judge MaryClaire Akers didn’t hold back.
“You brought these children to West Virginia, a place I know as ‘almost heaven,’ and you put them in hell,” she said. “This court will now put you in yours. And may God have mercy on your souls because this court will not.”
Lantz received a 160-year sentence, while Whitefeather was sentenced to 215 years—plus an order to pay each victim $280,000 in restitution.
At sentencing, Whitefeather attempted an apology, saying, “I just want the court to know that I have made mistakes. I am very sorry for that, and I love my children. I have never, ever done anything to harm them intentionally.”
The children, however, see things differently.
“I will be something amazing,” one of them told NBC News. “I will be strong and beautiful. You will always be exactly what you are—horrible.”
Now, as their former adoptive parents begin their sentences, these kids are looking forward to a future filled with hope and healing.
