Couple kept Black adopted kids in “slavery-like” conditions
A white couple from rural West Virginia is facing serious charges after a judge revoked their initial bond and increased it to $500,000 each. Donald Ray Lantz, 63, and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 62, are accused of locking their adopted Black children in a barn and forcing them to work as “slaves.”
Authorities discovered the appalling situation during a wellness check at the couple’s Sissonville home. Two of the couple’s five adopted children were found padlocked inside a shed with no lights, running water, or proper sanitation. Another child was confined to a loft inside the main house.
The couple initially posted a $200,000 bond each and were released in February. However, they were re-arrested after a grand jury indicted them on more than a dozen new charges. That’s including human trafficking of a minor, child neglect, and civil rights violations. The judge described the case as “horrifying and despicable.”
The indictment alleges that three of the five adopted children were Black. In addition, they were targeted specifically because of their race. The children were reportedly forced to perform farm labor and were not allowed inside the residence. Also, the conditions in which the children were found were so dire that they had open sores and were living in squalor.
Prosecutors argued that the couple’s original bond money might have been obtained through trafficking profits. Despite their claims of having no income or assets, the couple managed to post a $400,000 bond. Thus, raising questions about the source of the funds.
The couple’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 9.
Source: Atlanta Black Star
Couple kept Black adopted kids in “slavery-like” conditions
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