Jeanne Kay Whitefeather was sentenced to up to 215 years, and her husband, Donald Lantz, received a sentence of up to 160 years. A jury in Kanawha County found the pair guilty of numerous charges, including forced labor, human trafficking, and child abuse. Whitefeather was also convicted of civil rights violations based on race.
Whitefeather will be eligible for parole after serving 40 years, while Lantz will be eligible after 30 years.
Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers expressed her anger in court, telling the defendants, "You brought these children to West Virginia, a place I know as ‘Almost Heaven,’ and you put them in hell. This court will now put you in yours. And may God have mercy on your souls. Because this court will not."
In court, letters written by four of the children were read aloud by the prosecutor’s victim advocate. Some of the children stood beside her as their letters were shared. The letters described the trauma they endured, difficulties with trusting others, nightmares, and fear of affection.
The oldest child, now 18, directly addressed Whitefeather in court, saying, "I’ll never understand how you can sleep at night. I want you to know that you are a monster."
Akers had previously ordered news outlets to refrain from publishing the children’s names or images.
The couple, who are white, adopted the five Black siblings while living in Minnesota. They moved to a farm in Washington state in 2018 before relocating to West Virginia in May 2023. At the time of the move, the children ranged from 5 to 16 years old.
In October 2023, the couple was arrested after neighbors witnessed Lantz locking the oldest girl and her teenage brother in a shed before leaving the property. A deputy used a crowbar to free them.
Inside the house, a 9-year-old girl was found crying alone in a loft without any protection from falling. The children were dirty, smelling of body odor, and the oldest boy was barefoot with sores on his feet. Another child was found with Lantz when he returned, and the fifth child was located later. All five children were placed under the care of Child Protective Services after the couple’s arrest.
The oldest daughter later filed a lawsuit, accusing the couple of severe physical and emotional abuse, which left her permanently scarred.
During their statements in court, Whitefeather and Lantz did not take responsibility for their actions. The judge noted that the couple blamed their real estate agent for not finding an isolated home, suggesting they needed a place away from people to continue abusing the children.
Testimonies from neighbors revealed that the children were rarely seen playing outside, often forced to stand in line or perform difficult chores, including lifting heavy items. After noticing the neighbors, the children mostly stayed indoors.
The eldest daughter testified that the children were forced to dig with their hands during outdoor work in Washington state, and they were constantly cursed at. She also stated that Whitefeather showed favoritism to the youngest child, who was not involved in the charges, and told the other children that she wished for a life without them.
The children were fed primarily peanut butter sandwiches, sometimes leftover from previous meals, and were subjected to long periods of standing with their hands on their heads. The oldest girl and boy shared a room, sleeping on the floor and using a bucket for a toilet, with a sheet used for privacy from security cameras.
The defense team argued that the couple was overwhelmed by the children's mental health issues, stemming from trauma and abuse in their biological homes. They claimed the couple sought help from the state’s child welfare agency but were let down.
However, a forensic psychologist testified that the couple’s treatment worsened the children’s conditions. Prosecutor Madison Tuck pointed out that the couple never sought help for the oldest boy, despite a nearby behavioral health clinic.
Whitefeather’s attorney argued that the couple’s actions were a result of poor parenting, not abuse, and that they simply had difficulty with farm chores, dismissing claims of forced labor and racial discrimination.
