WV - Donald Lantz Jeanne Whitefeather charged after adoptive children found locked in filthy barn room - October 3, 2023

[Twick]

Good for the witness!

 

[Iona]

White couple accused of locking Black adopted kids in shed are back in prison

New 16-count indictment against the West Virginia couple includes a human trafficking of a minor charge

www.independent.co.uk

I do think it is important to also directly call out the racism and white supremacy that is at play, which makes this case even more insidious.
From the article:
"The couple sought out five Black children to adopt and forced them to do labor because of their race, prosecutors have said. This abuse began in a Washington home before continuing at the West Virginia residence where police found the children, according to prosecutors."
"The couple pleaded not guilty to child neglect charges last October. Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers handed each a $200,000 bond, which they both posted in February." BBM

Thank you for saying this , and being brave enough to say it on websleuths! This should be a front page story!

 

[Mert]

12-year-old boy testifies during fifth day of Sissonville child labor, abuse case

The fifth day of the Jeanne Whitefeather and Donald Lantz trial brought more emotional testimony from the child victims in the case.

wchstv.com

“The boy also talked about moving to Sissonville where he said Whitefeather would spray them daily with pepper spray as punishment. He said they were often cussed at and that Whitefeather used a racial slur on him once but often said bad things about Black people.”

 

[Mert]

Adoptive mother denies abuse and trafficking charges, says children were never locked up

An adoptive mother denies child abuse and trafficking charges in court.

wchstv.com

“Whitefeather also denied calling her children racist names despite three of the children's testimony to the contrary. Last week, prosecutors also displayed text messages to the jury from Whitefeather's phone where she called the children "monkeys."

She denied she adopted the children for economic benefit by making them do chores and farm work.

"They were all extremely young," she said. "We did not know that once an adoption is final, you know, foster parents get money. We didn't know that after the adoption, we even got money. We had no idea."

A financial intelligence analyst who reviewed bank statements testified Friday that Lantz and Whitefeather pocketed $318,000 in child assistance from the state of Minnesota.”

 

[Mert]

Man in Sissonville child abuse, trafficking trial denies allegations during testimony

Testimony in an ongoing child abuse and human trafficking trial continued in Charleston Thursday.Donald Lantz took the stand testifying in his own defense. Lant

wchstv.com

“His attorney John Balenovich asked him directly about home surveillance video the jury has seen of the kids standing for hours at a time. Lantz denied it had happened.

Lantz said the adopted children took breaks when asked if they were required to work outside all day.”

 

[mojook]

I hope the jury doesn't take long to return a verdict when they start tomorrow. There is video, and they both lied and denied it all. I was also disappointed with their family testifying for them, pretty much blaming the kids.

 

[Mert]

Couple found guilty of nearly all charges in Sissonville trafficking, force labor case

The mother of children who were found locked in a Sissonville barn was found guilty on all charges and the father guilty of all but four in a child abuse and fo

wchstv.com

“Jeanne Whitefeather was found guilty of multiple counts of human trafficking, forced labor, gross child neglect and child abuse.
Donald Lantz was found not guilty of four counts of civil rights violations and guilty of all other charges, including human trafficking, forced labor, gross child neglect and child abuse.
The Kanawha County jury reached the verdict about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday after eight hours of deliberation.“

SO very, very thankful to see this. *My opinion.

 

[Dotta]

Yes!
Thank you Jury!
These criminals clearly forgot that slavery had already been abolished.
Disgusting pair!

JMO

 

[dalsglen]

Hope they suffer every day in jail for the rest of their lives.

 

[Twick]

They are awful people and I hope they are never released.

 

[Mert]

Sissonville couple sentenced in historic child abuse case as adopted children testify

In an emotional sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the Sissonville couple convicted on nearly every charge in a historic child abuse, forced labor, and human traf

wchstv.com

“Akers sentenced both to the maximum on all charges, to be served consecutively. Whitefeather will spend 40 to 215 years in prison, while Lantz will spend 30 to 160 years behind bars.”

Article is worth the short read, my opinion.

 

[mickey2942]

This is why we need this bill.

Illinois House panel advances bill to strengthen homeschooling oversight

An Illinois House panel advances a bill increasing homeschool oversight, sparking a heated debate over parental rights.

capitolnewsillinois.com

 

[dalsglen]

30 and 40 years will never be enough, these kids will no doubt suffer the after effects of this abuse for their whole lives. Chuck the key away.

 

[Clearsky]

White couple who forced adopted black children to work as ‘slaves’ sentenced to hundreds of years in prison

“May God have mercy on your souls. Because this court will not,” the judge said.

nypost.com

A white couple from West Virginia were collectively sentenced to 375 years in prison for forcing their five adopted black children to work on their farm as “slaves” while being berated with racial slurs.

 

[tlcya]

“You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know as ‘Almost Heaven,’ and you put them in hell. This court will now put you in yours,” Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers barked at the defendants on Wednesday.

“And may God have mercy on your souls. Because this court will not.”
White couple who forced adopted black children to work as ‘slaves’ sentenced to hundreds of years in prison

Go Judge Akers, thank you your honor!

 

[Izzylizzy]

IMO:
It never ceases to amaze me when a defense attorney representing someone who is charged with the most horrific inhumane crimes against children and with evidence to prove it throw out the "bad parenting" card praying that one juror on the jury is stupid enough to believe him.


'Whitefeather’s attorney, Mark Plants, said during closing arguments that the couple’s only crime was bad parenting.'

White couple who forced adopted black children to work as ‘slaves’ sentenced to hundreds of years in prison

“May God have mercy on your souls. Because this court will not,” the judge said.

nypost.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

White couple who forced their adopted Black kids to work as slaves sentenced to over 100 years

“May God have mercy on your souls because this court will not,” a judge told the white couple convicted for

news.yahoo.com

To this very day, no real remorse, no understanding of the horrors they choose to bestow upon children, no taking responsibility for what they did. Calling it "love," like a true abuser. Unbelievable.

 

[Twick]

Well yes, enslaving your children and treating them worse than animals is definitely “bad parenting.”