Two West Virginia parents are awaiting trial on multiple charges after adopting four Black children and allegedly using them for “forced labor” on their farm, according to court documents.
Jeanne Whitefeather, 62, and Donald Lantz, 63, both White, face charges of human trafficking of children, civil rights violations, use of a minor in forced labor, and child neglect, as per a 17-count indictment.
Madison Tuck, assistant prosecuting attorney for Kanawha County, West Virginia, told CNN that the trial is scheduled to begin on September 9. Tuck confirmed the children are “all safe” but did not provide details about their location.
Whitefeather and Lantz entered not guilty pleas during a June 11 arraignment. Mark Plants, Whitefeather’s attorney, told CNN that his client “absolutely, emphatically denies the allegations.”
“We’re talking about two parents who adopted five Black children and have cared for them for the last eight years. This will come out at trial, and we’ll let the jury decide. But we absolutely, emphatically deny the allegations,” Plants said.
Lantz’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During the arraignment, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers remarked, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an indictment like this in all of my time.” Akers noted that the indictment alleges the children were “targeted because of their race” and used “as basically slaves.”
CNN obtained court documents related to the case, which began in October 2023 when Kanawha County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call about the children’s welfare. Authorities declined to release a copy of the 911 call.
According to a sworn statement from the responding deputy, the 911 caller reported that the children were “made to do farm work” and “not allowed inside the house.”
A news release from the sheriff’s office noted that “deputies had to force entry into the barn where they located a juvenile male and juvenile female locked inside an approximate 20×14 foot room.”
“The children had no means to exit the barn on their own, no running water, no bathroom facilities, and were obviously deprived of adequate hygienic care and food,” the release stated.
The deputy’s sworn statement indicated that “the female juvenile also stated she and her 14-year-old brother were not allowed inside the house.”
“There were no accessible windows in the room or way for the children to exit. If there were a medical emergency or fire, the children would be unable to exit the locked room to safety,” the statement added.
When Whitefeather and Lantz arrived hours later, the deputy wrote, “Ms. Whitefeather admitted to Det. Alford that the children were left in the shed but stated they ‘like it.’”
An affidavit from a sheriff’s office lieutenant indicated that the October 2023 incident was preceded by two other concerned 911 calls about the children’s wellbeing in May and June 2023. Both callers reported that the children were “sleeping in the barn” and using a portable toilet outside.
In response to these calls, Whitefeather and Lantz told deputies that they had just moved from Washington State and were using the portable toilet due to plumbing issues in their new home. They claimed that people in the area disliked them and that vehicles had been stopping in front of their residence. These calls were cleared with “no police action necessary.”
A grand jury returned an indictment against Whitefeather and Lantz in May, alleging that the couple “knowingly, feloniously, and willfully trafficked a minor” and “recruited, enticed, and obtained the victim from a shelter and facility that serves runaway youths, children in foster care, the homeless, and victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault.”
Both are being held on $500,000 “cash-only” bonds, according to the arraignment order.
Rubby Cordelia is a finance journalist for WVPrepBB.com, bringing expertise and clarity to her reporting on financial news. With a passion for demystifying complex economic issues, Rubby delivers insightful analysis and up-to-date information on the latest market trends, financial policies, and economic developments. Her work on WVPrepBB.com is essential reading for anyone looking to stay informed about the ever-changing world of finance.
