West Virginia Jury Convicts Couple for Neglect and Forced Labour of Adopted Children

A jury in West Virginia found a couple guilty of neglect and forced labour involving their adopted children. Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Ray Lantz were accused of locking some children in a shed, making them sleep on the floor, and using buckets as toilets. The jury reached its decision after eight hours of deliberation.

The couple faced over a dozen felony charges, including forced labour and child neglect. They adopted five siblings while living in Minnesota, moved to Washington state in 2018, and relocated to West Virginia in May 2023. The children were aged between 5 and 16 at that time.

Children's Living Conditions

In October 2023, neighbours reported seeing Lantz lock two teenagers in a shed before leaving the property. A deputy had to use a crowbar to free them. Inside the house, a 9-year-old girl was found alone in a loft without safety measures. Another child was with Lantz when he returned home.

The children were discovered wearing dirty clothes and smelling of body odour. The eldest boy was barefoot with sores on his feet. After the couple's arrest, all five children were placed under Child Protective Services' care.

Testimonies from Neighbours and Children

Neighbours testified that they never saw the children play outside. Instead, they witnessed Lantz making them perform difficult chores like lifting heavy items. After noticing curious neighbours, the couple kept the children indoors more often.

The eldest daughter, now 18, testified about their experiences in Washington state. She said they were made to dig with their hands and ate mostly peanut butter sandwiches at scheduled times. Some meals were leftovers from previous ones.

The daughter also described how some children had to stand for hours with their hands on their heads. The oldest siblings shared a room and used a bucket for a toilet while one held up a sheet for privacy. They slept on the floor and rarely bathed.

Defence Arguments

Lantz claimed that chores were meant to teach responsibility. Whitefeather's attorney argued that the shed was locked to prevent the oldest boy from running away again. Whitefeather described it as a "teenager hangout" with access to a key, but testimony showed the children didn't know where it was.

Prosecutors argued that the couple's actions aimed at control rather than teaching responsibility. "These kids weren't there to be raised as children, but served another purpose entirely," said Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Krivonyak during closing arguments.

Racist text messages allegedly from Whitefeather were presented as evidence, though she denied writing them. The eldest daughter testified about frequent racist language used by Whitefeather, who also refused to eat off plates used by the children.

Prosecution's Case

Assistant Prosecutor Madison Tuck highlighted that the couple never sought mental health help for the oldest boy despite living near a behavioural health clinic. "You're not going to have any medical records if you don't have a doctor," Tuck stated.

A forensic psychologist testified that the children's conditions worsened due to their treatment by the couple. The eldest boy is now receiving full-time psychiatric care following an altercation with Whitefeather in 2022.

Whitefeather's attorney argued that poor parenting decisions were made but denied racial motives or forced labour intentions. "These are farm people that do farm chores," said attorney Mark Plants during closing arguments.

The defence claimed they struggled to get help for the children's mental health issues and past trauma from their biological home. Lantz's attorney criticised the state's child welfare agency for failing to provide adequate support despite multiple requests for assistance from the family.