A West Virginia couple has been sentenced to a combined 375 years in prison for subjecting their five adopted Black children to forced labor on their farm while verbally abusing them with racial slurs.
Harsh Sentences for Heinous Crimes
After being convicted in January on charges including forced labor, human trafficking, child abuse, and neglect, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather received a 215-year sentence, while her husband, Donald Lantz, was sentenced to 160 years.
“You brought these children to West Virginia, a place I know as ‘Almost Heaven,’ and you put them in hell,” stated Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers during sentencing. “This court will now put you in yours. And may God have mercy on your souls, because this court will not.”
Victims Speak Out About Trauma
During the trial, letters written by four of the children were read aloud, detailing the severe trauma they endured. The oldest daughter, now 18, confronted her abusers in court.
“I’ll never understand how you can sleep at night. I want you to know that you are a monster,” she stated.
Last month, she filed a lawsuit against the couple, citing permanent physical and emotional scars from years of mistreatment.
From Adoption to a Nightmare
Whitefeather and Lantz adopted the siblings in Minnesota before moving to Washington state in 2018. By May 2023, they relocated to Sissonville, West Virginia, with their five children, then aged five to sixteen.
In October 2023, authorities arrested the couple after receiving a child welfare report. The investigation revealed that the oldest daughter and her teenage brother had been locked inside a shed at their home.
Discovery of Horrific Living Conditions
When officers arrived, they used a crowbar to pry open the barn door. Inside, they found a porta potty but no electricity or running water. One teenager told police they had gone 12 hours without food while trapped in the barn.
The children recounted how they were forced to sleep on a cold concrete floor without beds. Officers noted that the two minors inside the shed had a strong odor and wore filthy clothing.
Authorities also discovered a nine-year-old girl crying alone in a loft inside the house. Three hours later, Lantz arrived with an 11-year-old boy, followed by Whitefeather, who brought a five-year-old girl. All five children were placed in protective custody after the couple’s arrest.
Children Forced to Work Like Slaves
Judge Akers emphasized that the children were targeted due to their race and exploited as laborers. Neighbors testified that they rarely saw the children playing but frequently witnessed them standing in line or performing strenuous tasks.
Prosecutors argued that Lantz kept the children hidden indoors when he suspected neighbors were watching. The eldest daughter revealed that most of the forced labor occurred in Washington, where they were sometimes made to dig with their bare hands.
Whitefeather allegedly used racial slurs and frequently subjected the children to verbal abuse, particularly when they failed to complete their workload. The children were also forced to stand in their rooms for hours with their hands on their heads and were primarily fed peanut butter sandwiches at scheduled times.
Court records detailed additional cruel punishments. The two oldest children were made to sleep on the floor of their shared room and had to use a single bucket as a toilet, taking turns holding up a sheet for privacy from security cameras.
Defense Claims ‘Overwhelmed’ Parenting
Whitefeather’s attorney, Mark Plants, argued that the couple struggled to care for the children due to their troubled past. He claimed that their biggest failing was poor parenting rather than criminal intent.
The court, however, dismissed this defense, delivering a sentence that ensures Whitefeather and Lantz will never have the chance to harm children again.
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