Couple in West Virginia Charged with Human Trafficking of Adopted Children
A couple in West Virginia, Donald Ray Lantz and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, are accused of human trafficking, forced labor, and child neglect involving their five adopted black children. The children, aged 6 to 16, were allegedly forced to work and some were confined in a shed without basic amenities. Authorities were alerted by a concerned neighbor, leading to the couple's indictment and an increased bond of five hundred thousand dollars each.
A wealthy white couple from West Virginia, Donald Ray Lantz (63) and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather (62), face charges of human trafficking, forced labor, and child neglect.
The pair allegedly forced their five adopted black children, aged 6-16, to work on their farmland and locked some in a shed without basic amenities.
The indictment states these actions were racially motivated.
An alert neighbor initiated the investigation, revealing appalling living conditions.
Upon discovery, police found the children in dirty clothes, malnourished, and living in unsafe conditions.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers labeled the indictment among the worst cases she had ever seen.
The accused pleaded not guilty and now face a trial set for September 9.