A West Virginia couple received the maximum possible prison sentences on Wednesday for subjecting their adoptive children to extreme abuse, including forced labor, confinement in locked rooms, sleeping on concrete floors, and standing for hours with their hands on their heads.
Jeanne Kay Whitefeather was sentenced to up to 215 years in prison, while her husband, Donald Lantz, received a term of up to 160 years. A Kanawha County jury found them guilty on multiple charges, including forced labor, human trafficking, child abuse, and neglect. Whitefeather was also convicted of civil rights violations based on race.
Whitefeather will be eligible for parole after serving 40 years, and Lantz after 30.
“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 told the defendants. “And may God have mercy on your souls. Because this court will not.”
Victims Share Their Pain
During the sentencing, letters written by four of the children were read aloud by a victim advocate. Some of the children stood beside her as she read their statements, which described the deep trauma they endured, their struggles with trust, frequent nightmares, and fear of affection.
The oldest daughter, 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.”
Judge Akers had previously ordered that the children’s names and images not be published.
From Adoption to Abuse
The couple, both white, adopted five Black siblings while living in Minnesota. They later moved to a farm in Washington state in 2018 before relocating to West Virginia in May 2023. At the time, the children ranged in age from 5 to 16.
Five months after moving to Sissonville, the couple was arrested after neighbors saw Lantz locking the oldest girl and her teenage brother in a shed and leaving the property. A deputy used a crowbar to free them.
Inside the main house, authorities found a 9-year-old girl crying alone in a loft with no safety measures to prevent her from falling. The children were found in filthy clothes, emitting strong body odor, and appearing malnourished. The oldest boy was barefoot, with sores on his feet.
A fourth child was found with Lantz when he eventually returned, while deputies later located the youngest sibling, a 5-year-old girl. All five children were placed under the care of Child Protective Services.
Lawsuit Filed Against Couple
Last month, the eldest daughter filed a lawsuit against Whitefeather and Lantz, alleging severe physical and emotional abuse that left her permanently scarred.
When given the opportunity to speak in court, both Whitefeather and Lantz made brief statements but failed to take responsibility for their actions.
Judge Akers highlighted a pre-sentencing report in which the couple blamed their real estate agent for not finding them a home “isolated enough.” Akers responded, “I guess you should have explained to your realtor that you needed an isolated place away from people so that you could continue to abuse your children.”
Forced Labor and Physical Punishment
During the trial, neighbors testified they never saw the children playing. Instead, they were made to stand in line or perform grueling chores, such as lifting heavy objects. When Lantz realized neighbors were watching, he kept the children inside.
The eldest daughter testified that the forced labor was even worse while they lived in Washington state. She recalled being forced to dig with her hands and enduring constant verbal abuse. She also stated that Whitefeather used racial slurs.
Whitefeather reportedly favored the youngest child, who was not included in the charges, while expressing resentment toward the other children. The children were primarily fed peanut butter sandwiches, often leftovers from previous meals, at strictly scheduled times. Some were made to stand in their rooms for hours with their hands on their heads.
The oldest girl and boy shared a room, were forced to sleep on the floor, and had to use a bucket as a toilet while one held up a sheet for privacy from home security cameras.
Defense Claims Couple Was Overwhelmed
The defense argued that Whitefeather and Lantz were overwhelmed by the children’s mental health struggles and trauma from their biological home.
Lantz’s attorney, John Balenovich, blamed the state’s child welfare agency for failing the family, claiming they had repeatedly asked for help.
However, a forensic psychologist testified that the couple’s actions only worsened the children’s emotional and psychological conditions. Prosecutors pointed out that despite a behavioral health clinic being nearby, the couple never sought help for the oldest boy, who is now receiving full-time psychiatric care.
Whitefeather’s attorney, Mark Plants, described the couple’s actions as poor parenting rather than criminal abuse, arguing, “These are farm people that do farm chores. It wasn’t about race. It wasn’t about forced labor.”
Despite these claims, the jury and judge found their treatment of the children to be inexcusable, sentencing them to what will likely be the rest of their lives in prison.
