U.S. couple convicted of trafficking their adopted children

A West Virginia couple has been convicted of human trafficking and forced labor after subjecting their adopted children to brutal abuse, forcing them to work under grueling conditions, and depriving them of basic necessities. The case underscores the dangers faced by children without stable homes, who can be particularly vulnerable to trafficking and forced labor.

Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 62, and Donald Lantz, 63, had moved the children from Washington state to a rural property in West Virginia, where they exploited them as unpaid laborers under inhumane conditions.

Vulnerable youth at risk of trafficking

An estimated 700,000 children experience homelessness over a single year in the U.S. Children experiencing homelessness are among the most at risk of trafficking and forced labor. Without stable homes, they are more likely to be placed in precarious situations or taken in by individuals who exploit them under the guise of providing care. In fact, in the U.S., nearly one in five homeless youth have been a victim of human trafficking.

Whitefeather and Lantz adopted five children from a shelter, then subjected them to severe abuse.

According to People, the eldest daughter, now 18, testified about the harsh treatment she and her siblings endured:

She said the children had to stand in their rooms for hours ‘to prevent us from falling asleep,’ she testified, and were pepper sprayed when they didn’t obey orders, such as keeping their hands atop their heads for prolonged periods.

The children, all Black, were subjected to racial slurs, forced to wear dirty clothes, and denied adequate food and hygiene. Lantz hit one of the boys over the head with a pipe, and the children were locked in a barn for hours at a time. Neighbors first raised the alarm in October 2023 when they saw Lantz lock two of the children in the barn and leave the property.

Despite these conditions, Whitefeather and Lantz received over $318,000 in child assistance from the state of Minnesota. Their defense attorney dismissed the abuse as merely “farm chores.”

A failure to protect children

This case also exposes failures in the American child welfare system that left these young people vulnerable to trafficking and abuse. Although Whitefeather and Lantz were first arrested in 2023, they were able to retain custody of the children until June 2024, when they were finally charged with human trafficking. By then, years of forced labor and mistreatment had already taken a devastating toll.

Prosecutors argued that Whitefeather and Lantz specifically chose Black children to adopt because they saw them as more easily exploitable, a horrifying reminder that racism continues to be a factor in how certain individuals are targeted for abuse.

Holding perpetrators accountable

No child should face forced labor or abuse. This case is a stark reminder that protecting homeless youth must be a priority to prevent exploitation and modern slavery.

After eight hours of deliberation, a Kanawha County jury found Whitefeather and Lantz guilty of multiple charges, including child neglect and civil rights violations. Whitefeather faces up to 215 years in prison, and Lantz could serve 75 years. The couple is scheduled for sentencing in March.