A Dark Tale of Adoption: Court Hears Testimony in Whitefeather and Lantz Trial

An 18-year-old testified about severe mistreatment by adoptive parents Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Ray Lantz. Conditions included sleeping on the floor, inadequate nutrition, and forced labor. The couple faces felony charges including human trafficking. The revelations came as part of their ongoing trial in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

On Friday, a courtroom heard the harrowing testimony of an 18-year-old woman whose discovery brought her adoptive parents' alleged abuse to light. The teenager detailed life under Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Ray Lantz, describing substandard living conditions and forced labor among other ordeals.

The trial of Whitefeather and Lantz is drawing significant attention as the couple faces over a dozen felony charges. These include allegations of human trafficking and child abuse, with reports suggesting they misused $318,000 intended for child assistance. Both have pleaded not guilty, though damning evidence continues to emerge.

As neighbors first raised alarms, their actions may have saved the five adopted siblings from deeper harm. The children, originally from Minnesota, are now in Child Protective Services' care, as the court scrutinizes how their lives turned into a living nightmare for profit.

(With inputs from agencies.)