In Charleston, West Virginia, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and her husband Donald Ray Lantz are on trial, accused of exploiting four of their adopted Black children for labor and confining them in harsh conditions. Charges include forced labor, civil rights violations, human trafficking, and child neglect. Whitefeather refuted accusations of confining two children in a shed, testifying Tuesday, "They had a key. They could come and go as they pleased." However, testimony from their oldest daughter, now 18, contradicted this, asserting she was unaware of any key.
Whitefeather also insisted the children had access to varied foods and kitchen facilities, claiming she prepared meals nightly. Yet, the daughter testified that they were restricted to peanut butter sandwiches at specific times and denied food access otherwise. The prosecution discredited Whitefeather's claims with evidence, emphasizing the detective's finding of the hidden key, which the children reportedly did not know about.
The allegations were brought to light after neighbors witnessed Lantz locking the children in the shed, prompting police intervention. Since the couple's arrest in October 2023, all five children, formerly adopted while the duo lived in Minnesota, have been placed with Child Protective Services. After moving to Washington state in 2018 and later to West Virginia in 2023, the family's alleged dynamics surfaced. The oldest son, battling significant trauma, is now in full-time psychiatric care. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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