In Charleston, West Virginia, a couple is facing sentencing this week after being found guilty of serious crimes against their adopted children. The pair, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, have been convicted on counts that include forced labor, human trafficking, child abuse, and neglect. An additional charge against Whitefeather notes violation of civil rights based on race.
On Wednesday, the sentencing procedure is set to occur in Kanawha County Circuit Court, where Whitefeather could receive up to 215 years in prison, while Lantz faces a possible 160-year sentence. Both individuals, who are white, had previously adopted five Black siblings while residing in Minnesota. They relocated to a Washington state farm in 2018 before moving to West Virginia in May 2023, with the children’s ages ranging from 5 to 16 at that time.
The situation came to a head five months post-relocation to Sissonville when concerned neighbors reported Lantz for confining the oldest sibling and her teenage brother inside a shed before leaving the premises. Law enforcement had to forcibly intervene using a crowbar to free them. Within the house, a 9-year-old girl was discovered crying in a precarious loft position, as per the criminal complaint. The children were described by deputies as being in unclean attire and enduring poor hygiene conditions, with one boy found barefoot and suffering from apparent foot sores.
The couple was apprehended, and the children were consequently taken into care by Child Protective Services. The oldest child, now an adult, has initiated a lawsuit against the couple, detailing extensive physical and emotional trauma that she alleges has left her with lasting scars.
Neighboring residents who testified at trial depicted a disturbing scene where the children were rarely seen playing and observed Lantz forcing them to stand in line or complete demanding tasks, often lifting heavy objects in the yard. Following heightened public interest, the children were mostly kept indoors. The eldest daughter testified that much of the outdoor labor occurred back in Washington and revealed instances of abusive language and racial slurs used by Whitefeather.
She also testified that the youngest child received preferential treatment, was not implicated in any criminal charges, and noted Whitefeather’s recurring sentiment of wanting to live without the other children. The daughter recounted memories of being fed primarily peanut butter sandwiches and experiencing heavy restrictions, including being made to stand in their rooms for prolonged periods. She also described the eldest boy and girl sharing a room under harsh conditions, including using a bucket as a bathroom while maintaining privacy under a sheet due to security cameras.
The defense countered these accusations with testimonies from Lantz, asserting that the work allocated to the children was intended to foster responsibility. They argued the couple grappled with overwhelming challenges while attempting to address the children’s mental health issues, stemming from earlier abuse and trauma in their biological household. Lantz’s lawyer, John Balenovich, criticized the state’s child welfare agency for allegedly neglecting their responsibility to support the family.
A forensic psychologist testified for the prosecution, noting that the couple’s treatment exacerbated the children’s conditions. Assistant Prosecutor Madison Tuck highlighted that the couple failed to pursue help for the oldest boy, despite the availability of a behavioral health clinic nearby. In 2022, a physical altercation between the boy and Whitefeather marked the beginning of intensified familial struggles. The boy is now receiving comprehensive care at a psychiatric facility.
Whitefeather’s attorney, Mark Plants, in the closing arguments, downplayed the severity of the allegations, portraying the couple as merely guilty of poor parental choices. “These are farm people that do farm chores,” Plants remarked. “It wasn’t about race. It wasn’t about forced labor.”
