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In October 2023, Donald Lantz and Jeanne Whitefeather, a white couple, were apprehended when authorities discovered two of their five children confined in a shed outside their Sissonville residence, located near Charleston.
Opening statements in the Kanawha County trial commenced on Tuesday, with Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Madison Tuck informing the court that their neighbors had become worried about the children shortly after the family relocated from Washington to West Virginia in April 2023.
In October 2023, a neighbor’s report of witnessing Lantz locking two children in a shed was the reason for the 911 call.
According to a criminal complaint, authorities entered a shed and discovered a teenage boy and girl inside. The complaint states that the teenagers were deprived of proper food and hygiene care, and the room they were in did not have running water or bathroom facilities.
In the main house, a 9-year-old girl was discovered by herself, sobbing in a loft that was about 15 feet above the ground, without any safety measures to prevent her from falling. There were no adults present in the house at the time.
Lantz and Whitefeather faced subsequent arrest and were charged with 16 counts each, which included allegations of civil rights violations, human trafficking, forced labor, gross child neglect, and falsifying an application for a public defender. It is important to note that all but one of the charges are considered felonies.
According to the indictment, the two individuals are accused of compelling, intimidating, and obstructing the four children’s ability to freely exercise their rights and privileges.
“I have never come across an indictment of this nature in all my years,” remarked Judge Maryclaire Akers from the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. She further stated that the indictment claims the children were deliberately chosen based on their race to be exploited as “essentially slaves.”
Lantz and Whitefeather made their appearance in court on Tuesday, where the proceedings began with the delivery of opening statements. By the midday break, testimony from one of the neighbors had commenced.
According to prosecutors, the court was informed during the opening statements that three of the couple’s children are expected to testify throughout the two-week trial.
According to him, the children will discuss the conditions they live in at home, recount instances of being pepper sprayed, and the constant requirement to hold their hands above their heads. They will also mention the racial slurs they have been subjected to.
Deputy H.K. Burdette stated in a criminal complaint that the children found in the shed were wearing dirty clothes and emitted a strong body odor. Notably, the boy was barefoot and had apparent sores on his feet. The girl revealed to Deputy Burdette that they were prohibited from entering the house and were confined to the shed for extended periods each day.
One of the children, according to Tuck, was treated the most poorly out of all of them. This child is currently undergoing treatment for mental illness and will not be able to testify at the trial.
According to Tuck, the financial records indicate that the couple had sufficient resources to take care of the children, but they made a conscious decision not to do so.
Mark Plants, the defense attorney for the couple, started his opening statements by emphasizing that the case revolves around adoptive parents who are grappling with the challenges of addressing their children’s traumatic pasts. In particular, he highlighted the struggles faced by the young boy who is dealing with severe mental illness.
According to Plants, the court will present evidence showing that the family had no intention of causing harm to the child. Instead, they were acting out of a desire to protect their family. Plants also mentioned that Whitefeather and Lantz had genuine love for the child, but believed that an institution would be a more suitable environment for him, rather than staying at home.
In November 2022, the couple faced an investigation by CPS for confining the boy to a bedroom while they were still in Washington, according to Plants. However, he clarified that CPS determined the allegations to be unfounded and no criminal charges were brought against them. Subsequently, the family relocated to Sissonville.
Once they moved into the three-bedroom house, the family quickly realized that they needed more space to accommodate their children and pets. The Sissonville house was simply not suitable for their needs. The room that was initially intended as a “tact room” ended up serving as both a classroom and a hangout spot for the teenagers. Prosecutors, however, have referred to this room as a locked shed.
According to Plants, the door was not initially locked, allowing the kids to freely come and go. However, later on, a lock was installed to prevent the teenage boy from running away.
The court will hear testimony from the teenage girl, according to the prosecutor, who will state that they were given primarily peanut butter sandwiches and water for nearly every meal. Additionally, the girl will claim that they were not allowed to shower.
According to Tuck, the older children will provide testimony regarding the mental and emotional abuse they endured. This includes the manipulative tactics used by the defendants to turn the children against each other. Additionally, the couple made racially derogatory remarks towards the children.
Witness testimony started on Tuesday afternoon with Brenda Bailey, a neighbor residing across the street from the family.
The court was shown video clips of the children working in the yard, hauling buckets, standing in the rain, and using the port-a-potty.
“They hardly communicated with each other,” she observed. “There was no sign of them engaging in any recreational activities. It seemed like they only interacted when they were working or occupied with some task.”
During her testimony, she mentioned that she had personally witnessed the teenagers being confined in the “shop.”
In her testimony, she expressed her fear that the family would relocate, leaving the vulnerable children without any support. She passionately shared, “I was concerned about their well-being, and I prayed to God for a sign to alert the authorities and ensure their safety before they departed.”
